TITANIC
(Part Two)
A Four-Hour CBS Miniseries
By
Ross LaManna
===========================================================
"TITANIC"
PART TWO
ACT EIGHT
FADE IN:
NOTE: In order to understand why the events leading up to
the sinking occur as they do, it helps to remember that the
Titanic is in essence a whole town in size and population.
People's reaction to the disaster is determined not just by
their nature -- some behave nobly, some ignobly -- but also
by their location. The upper decks and the stern area
remain safe and dry long after the faraway lower decks in
the bow are completely submerged.
The following scenes should have a certain surreal quality
to portray the confusion, the working at cross-purposes, the
bizarre differences in comprehension of the situation, and
finally, the descent into either panic or resignation.
INT. STAIRWAY TO BOAT DECK - CLOSE ON FEET - NIGHT
We hear Hartley's Orchestra begin another cheery tune OS.
An orderly procession of First Class passengers shuffle up
the staircase. One of them momentarily loses her footing.
SUPERIMPOSE: 12:30 AM, Monday, April 15.
WIDER
It's Madeleine. Astor grabs her around her waist to steady
her. She's wearing a light-colored dress and her new shawl
under her life preserver; Astor carries his under his arm.
MADELEINE
The floor's off-kilter!
Molly, wearing a fur and a black velvet two-piece suit,
walks on the other side of her. Also in the line are Ruth,
the Strauses, their Maid, the Thayers, and the Wideners.
MOLLY
Too many fat matrons dripping
with jewels -- we're tilting the
ship.
Mrs. Straus turns to her husband.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
MRS. STRAUS
I told you the ship feels odd --
it's pitching forward!
Suddenly, everyone makes way as Andrews, looking
uncharacteristically glum, rushes past on his way up top.
EXT. BOAT DECK, PORT
The Hartley orchestra, dressed in their uniforms with green
facings, has set up near the entranceway. They play as if
everything is perfectly normal. Hartley looks over at
Andrews; he nods approvingly, then hurries away.
The passengers come out onto the Deck. The Boat Deck is the
topmost deck of the ship, 100 feet wide and 600 feet long.
Its size is not visible to us, as it is pitch dark except
for the few small areas illuminated by lanterns near the
lifeboats. Also, in this particular area, some light comes
through the windows of the nearby gymnasium.
MADELEINE
(to Molly; sotto)
I'm enjoying the sight of First
Class inconvenienced a little.
MOLLY
You and me both.
ASTOR
(to Madeleine)
There is no reason we can't wait
inside the gymnasium.
This sounds like a good idea to everyone, even the ones who
are still endeavoring to avoid the Astors. They all start
moving toward its entrance, but a Young Crewman tries to
keep them from going inside.
YOUNG CREWMAN
You must wait here for your
lifeboats.
RUTH
Lifeboats! What do we need of
lifeboats? This ship could smash
a hundred icebergs and not feel
it. Ridiculous!
MOLLY
(to Young Crewman)
Better step aside, sonny, if you
know what's good for you.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
After a beat, the Young Crewman backs down, and the group
goes into the warm gymnasium.
INT. FIRST CLASS CORRIDORS
Suzanne rushes through the corridors on her way to find a
route to Third Class. As she passes through, we NOTICE
various Crewmen and Stewards trying to get tired passengers
on their way up to deck. A Fussy Officer kneels, trying to
tie a life preserver around a fat Passenger.
FUSSY OFFICER
We are sending you out as a
matter of precaution. We hope
you will be back for breakfast.
INT. FIREMEN'S PASSAGE
Alex stands on the elevated walkway where we left him,
trapped between the locked trap door above and the water
blocking his way below. There is an identical walkway
across from him, but there is no connecting path.
He swings his legs over the railing and jumps -- above a 20-
foot drop -- onto the three-inch-wide metal lip of the
riveted seam running along the length of the engine casing.
Shuffling across it like a man on a building ledge, he
crosses over the now-flooded area he would usually traverse,
and then leaps onto the facing walkway. He climbs the
ladder to the other trap door. It's locked.
INT. SECOND CLASS CORRIDORS
A knot of passengers wearing life preservers stand in the
passageway. They are not concerned, just curious.
SECOND CLASS PASSENGERS
Felt like a collision with
another vessel... I heard
something about ice... Will we
have to get towed?
They hear a banging. Realizing the noise is coming from a
trap door in the floor, a burly Steward rushes over and
opens the trap door. Alex quickly scrambles up out of it.
BURLY STEWARD
Hey now, what're you --
Alex takes the White Star brochure from his pocket, folds it
so the logo shows and waves it at the Steward.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
ALEX
New orders from the Captain!
The Steward grabs the brochure, and Alex slips past him.
INT. THIRD CLASS COMMON ROOM
The Goodwins, all wearing their bulky life preservers, have
joined a group of steerage passengers congregated by the
Common Room. The crowd is restless but not too concerned.
Among the crowd is the Scandinavian Blond Girl who has yet
again separated from her family -- this time she is hiding
because she does not want to put on a life preserver.
The younger Goodwin children giggle and pull at one
another's life preservers.
SIDNEY
Papa looks like a snowman!
Fred chases after the kids, who squeal with delight.
Jessie and Lily laugh along. Lily looks at her mother.
Augusta is nervous and distracted.
NEW ANGLE
Some agitated voices approach -- passengers, including
Alex's Bunkmates, from the forward part of the ship. Some
have wet feet and drag satchels soaked in seawater.
BUNKMATE #1
We're takin' on water! Some
cabins was ankle-deep up front!
Alarm goes through the crowd. Fred turns to the Bunkmate:
FRED
What of the Stewards, or the
crew? Nobody's telling us
anything.
BUNKMATE #1
We've laid eyes on but one; he
said an officer was comin', any
moment.
Augusta gives Fred a queasy look.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
FRED
Let's not be jumping to
conclusions. We'll wait for the
official word.
INT. BOILER ROOMS
Chief Bell hustles a line of Stokers in. They carry a six-
inch-wide pump hose through water two feet deep.
CHIEF BELL
Bring the pump line... quickly,
quickly!
EXT. CALIFORNIAN - NIGHT
She sits stopped for the night.
INT. CALIFORNIAN BRIDGE
Second Officer Herbert Stone is joined on deck by 20-year-
old apprentice JAMES GIBSON.
STONE
Take the lamp. Tell that ship we're
stopped for the night on account of
ice. Find out who she is.
Gibson starts Morsing the mystery ship.
GIBSON
Looks like a tramp steamer, don't
she?
STONE
Awful lot of light comin' from
her afterdeck for a tramp.
(peers through binoculars)
Nothing -- she mustn't see us.
EXT. TITANIC - NIGHT
She's dead in the calm water, her profile ever more askew.
INT. GYMNASIUM
The Gym Instructor is calmly showing any interested
passengers how to work out on the equipment.
Astor and Madeleine sit off by themselves. Astor idly
slices a hole in his life preserver with a penknife to show
Madeleine what makes it float.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
ASTOR
Cork.
Madeleine is not paying attention. She's looking around at
the others passengers, who, as usual, have made a point of
avoiding them. Astor realizes what she is looking at.
ASTOR
(continuing; angry)
Consistent, I'll give them that.
We should sell the house in New
York and be done with it.
Before Madeleine can reply, Alex hurries over to them.
ALEX
Have you seen Suzanne?
They all turn, surprised, as Ruth approaches. Without
acknowledging the Astors, to Alex:
RUTH
My daughter has run off. I'd
presumed it was because of you.
ALEX
How long ago? She say where she
has headin'?
RUTH
As I said, she's disappeared, and
I...
For a moment, she looks frightened and helpless, then she
puts on a stern face again.
RUTH
(continuing)
...I'm in no mood for it.
She stomps away. Worried, Alex turns back to the Astors.
ALEX
She must be lookin' for me. If
she comes back, could you ask her
to wait here?
MADELEINE
Of course.
Alex rushes out of the gymnasium.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2)
ASTOR
Now that's true love. He still
wants her after meeting her mother.
MADELEINE
How did you size up their
situation the other day?
ASTOR
Their faces, when they saw each
other. I'm one of a fortunate
few who knows from experience how
they felt.
MADELEINE
If there is anyone who should
count her good fortune, it's me.
ASTOR
No regrets, marrying a decrepit
fool?
MADELEINE
Only that I didn't meet you any
sooner.
ASTOR
My dear child bride. 'Any sooner'
would've been illegal in most
states.
INT. SECOND CLASS CORRIDORS
Passengers are making the slow trek to the upper decks.
Suzanne stands at a locked gate leading to the lower decks,
arguing with two Crewman who won't let her through.
SUZANNE
(loudly)
...If you can't authorize it,
find someone who can!
Lowe, hastily dressed, runs to see what the shouting is
about. The Crewmen salute smartly. Lowe returns the salute
in his usual can't-be-bothered style.
LOWE
What's all this, then?
SUZANNE
I have to go below.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
LOWE
Not possible.
SUZANNE
That's not acceptable...
CUT TO:
EXT. CARPATHIA - NIGHT
She speeds through the water.
SUPERIMPOSE: 12:40 AM.
INT. CARPATHIA BRIDGE
Captain Rostron has assembled his officers on the Bridge:
CAPTAIN ROSTRON
(to Dean)
Swing out the boats, have them
ready to hit the water. Prepare
five-hundred gallons of oil to
pour down the privies to calm the
water around us if necessary.
(to Engineer)
Cut off all heat and hot water,
route every ounce of steam into
the boilers.
(to First Mate)
Call the off-duty watch. We'll
be traveling through ice and I
want every set of experienced
eyes on deck.
(to Chief Steward)
Convert the smoking room and
lounges into dormitories. Cover
each gangway, channel the
passengers to the proper area,
according to class. If any of
our passengers come on deck,
return them to their cabins. In
the extreme, you are authorized
to lock them in.
The Officers disperse to deal with their tasks.
INT. SECOND CLASS CORRIDORS, TITANIC - NIGHT
Several curious passengers have stopped on their way up to
deck to watch Suzanne argue with Lowe.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
LOWE
...You'll have to be patient;
they'll bring him up with
everyone else in steerage.
SUZANNE
This is hardly the time for
patience. I know the condition
of this ship!
Lowe grimaces and looks around at the people listening in.
LOWE
(sotto)
For God's sake, do you want to
start a panic?
SUZANNE
I just want to go below.
LOWE
(sighs; to Crewmen)
Take the lady to the Boat Deck.
Carry her if need be.
SUZANNE
(furious)
Don't even think about it!
NEW ANGLE
Alex, moving against the flow of passengers on their way up
to the Boat Deck, hears a loud, familiar voice.
ALEX
Suzanne!
WIDER
Suzanne and Lowe turn.
SUZANNE
Alex, here!
Alex runs up and they hug.
LOWE
(to Alex)
Get her up on deck.
He leaves. Suzanne looks at Alex.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
SUZANNE
I was terrified we'd be separated.
ALEX
Take more than some boat accident
for that.
SUZANNE
(sotto)
This is more than a boat
accident. I heard Captain Smith
and Jack Astor -- the ship only
has an hour.
ALEX
That ain't possible. She's
unsinkable!
SUZANNE
Listen to me, Alex. Captain
Smith was quite clear about it.
Alex looks at her, concerned but not willing to believe.
SUZANNE
(continuing)
They've sent everyone up to the
top Deck.
(beat)
Are you all right?
ALEX
Yeah.
(beat)
And feelin' real lucky we found
each other.
SUZANNE
I've felt that way since the day
we met.
INT. WIRELESS ROOM
Phillips is still tapping out the distress message.
Bride enters, carrying two life preservers. He hears the
Orchestra start up a new ragtime number OS.
BRIDE
Oh, goody, music to drown by.
PHILLIPS
What's the happy news from the
Bridge?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
BRIDE
We're sinkin' by the head. Looks
grim. They're gonna start
loading folks in the lifeboats.
What about the Carpathia?
PHILLIPS
Hours away, but still our best bet.
BRIDE
What a sorry sight that'll be:
the classiest ship ever built
towed home by a rust bucket.
Mr. and Mrs. Straus enter. Phillips, working the key,
doesn't notice them. Mr. Straus is holding a piece of paper.
MR. STRAUS
I need to send a wireless.
BRIDE
No passenger messages right now --
MR. STRAUS
-- To our family, to let them
know what to do... if we're late.
Captain Smith comes in behind them and takes the paper.
CAPTAIN SMITH
I'll see what we can do.
MR. STRAUS
Thank you.
Noting the grim look on Captain Smith's face, the Strauses
quietly leave.
CAPTAIN SMITH
(to Phillips)
Have we word from anyone aside
from the Carpathia?
PHILLIPS
Yes, sir, the Frankfurt, and the
Olympic. The Krauts are about a
hundred fifty miles off, and the
Olympic's five hundred from here.
CAPTAIN SMITH
Completely useless. What signal
are you transmitting?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2)
PHILLIPS
Standard distress, CQD, as you
ordered.
BRIDE
Hold on a minute...
PHILLIPS
Oh, great. Bride has an idea.
BRIDE
What about that new signal, SOS?
(to Smith)
It's a distress call, just
approved. Easy to understand,
even for a bleedin' German.
Captain Smith cannot help but smile.
BRIDE
(continuing; to Phillips)
Besides, this may be your last
chance to give it a try.
Phillips looks at Captain Smith, who nods his approval.
CAPTAIN SMITH
Stay in touch with the Carpathia;
inform the Bridge if you contact
anyone closer to our position.
Captain Smith leaves.
Phillips starts tapping out an SOS: ... — — — ...
PHILLIPS
Pretty cheeky with his Lordship.
BRIDE
Who's gonna care when we're all
having sand for breakfast?
PHILLIPS
We won't sink. They'll just
punch another hole to let the
water back out.
They turn as a small typewriter table on wheels suddenly
rolls across the increasingly tilted floor. They exchange a
nervous look, then Phillips continues tapping out the SOS.
INT. BOILER ROOMS
Stokers struggle to bolster with crossbeams a watertight
bulkhead door, which is literally straining at its seams
against the roaring water on the other side.
Chief Bell stands nearby, holding the phone.
CHIEF BELL
(shouts into phone)
Pumps can't keep ahead of it,
Captain!
INT. BRIDGE
On the phone, Captain Smith, listens to the bad news.
CAPTAIN SMITH
(into phone)
We need lights, Chief, and power
for the wireless. Do what you can.
Dazed, Captain Smith hangs up the phone.
EXT. BOAT DECK, STARBOARD
Here on the starboard side, far from the portside entrance
to the gymnasium, two confused Crewmen stand near the
lifeboats, arguing about what to do. A few disinterested
passengers look on from the shadows nearby.
CONFUSED CREWMAN #1
...Nobody said load the boats!
CONFUSED CREWMAN #2
The Captain 'imself -- he said
so!
Ismay appears and comes between the two Crewmen.
ISMAY
Why aren't these lifeboats being
filled?
CONFUSED CREWMAN #2
(to Ismay; angry)
Back with the other passengers!
ISMAY
(angrier)
See here, I'm Chairman of this
bloody Shipping Line...
Barely noticing Ismay, Murdoch and Lowe appear with two
other Crewmen in tow. To his Crewmen:
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
MURDOCH
You're on the davits. Swing 'em
out.
The men scramble up the davits -- metal arms holding the
pulleys upon which the lifeboats are suspended -- to oblige
Murdoch.
NOTE: All the fixed-hull lifeboats are identical, except for
a round plate with a white numeral at either side of their
bow, identifying them by number.
Grumbling to himself, Ismay fades into the darkness.
Murdoch turns to the small group of passengers who stand
watching nearby:
MURDOCH
(continuing)
Ladies and children, this way...
No one moves.
MURDOCH
(continuing)
Please, ladies, we must get this
boat away and move on to the next.
(to Lowe; sotto)
What became of boat assignments?
LOWE
No one ever had any.
One Young Woman steps forward, acting as though she's
getting on a amusement park ride. She carries a small
Pomeranian dog. Lowe helps her into Lifeboat #7, the first
in position, and she waves excitedly to her friends.
ANOTHER WOMAN
(giggling)
Wait, Maggie, I'm coming as well!
Her excitement is contagious, so several other women line
up. As Crewmen help them into the boat, it wobbles on the
two falls holding it -- one at its bow, one at its stern --
and bumps against the side of the deck.
Eyeing the precarious-looking fall lines, Lowe steps aside
with Murdoch.
LOWE
(sotto)
Fill these boats to capacity,
-more-
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2)
LOWE (Cont'd)
sixty-five people, they'll buckle
under the weight. I say lower
'em half-filled, have 'em stand
by at the gangways. We can load
more people down there.
MURDOCH
Too dicey. How long do you think
they would last if they end up in
the drink? That water is twenty-
eight degrees.
LOWE
Better to take that chance then kill
'em right off in the lifeboats.
After a moment, Murdoch looks at Boat #7, which is about
half full. He turns to the two confused Crewman.
MURDOCH
You men know how to row?
CONFUSED CREWMAN #2
Think so, sir.
MURDOCH
You're in command of this boat.
Stand by the after gangway, be
ready to receive more passengers.
As the confused Crewmen clamber aboard, Murdoch calls out to
the crowd again:
MURDOCH
(continuing)
Are there any more ladies before
this boat goes?
Again, no one comes forward. Murdoch sighs and nods to the
Crewmen.
The men cranking the davits struggle with the sticky new
equipment and the boat begins its 70-foot descent. There
are 28 people aboard a boat made for 65.
EXT. BOAT DECK, PORT
Captain Smith finds Fourth Officer Boxhall signaling with a
Morse lamp off the port side. Boxhall sees him and grins.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
BOXHALL
Sir! We've spotted what looks
like a steamer, maybe ten miles
off!
He passes the binoculars to Captain Smith. Smith peers
through them and seems genuinely encouraged.
CAPTAIN SMITH
Capital! Have they acknowledged
you?
BOXHALL
No, sir, not yet.
CAPTAIN SMITH
Signal 'We are the Titanic, come
at once, we are sinking.'
Boxhall obliges, flashing the message repeatedly. Smith
watches through the binoculars for a response.
CAPTAIN SMITH'S POV THROUGH BINOCULARS
From this distance, the Californian looks like a tiny row of
twinkling lights.
BOXHALL (OS)
Any response, sir?
CAPTAIN SMITH (OS)
(beat)
No, damn it all... Seemed so for
a moment, but it's their masthead
light flickering.
BACK TO SCENE
Disappointed, Captain Smith hands Boxhall the binoculars.
CAPTAIN SMITH
Keep at it.
Boxhall watches as Captain Smith walks slowly, almost
aimlessly, away.
INT. CALIFORNIAN BRIDGE - NIGHT
Stone and Gibson, meanwhile, are looking through their
binoculars at the Titanic. The two ships are just a hair
too far from one another for the Morse lamp to be visible.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
GIBSON
If they're answerin', I sure
enough can't tell. If she was
just a little closer...
INT. GYMNASIUM, TITANIC - NIGHT
A Steward addresses the group, most of whom are still
occupying themselves with the exercise equipment.
STEWARD
You're to be on boat number four.
It will be ready momentarily.
Madeleine looks at Astor. He smiles reassuringly at her,
but when she turns away he sneaks a glance at his watch.
Alex and Suzanne come into the gymnasium and spot Ruth.
Before Suzanne walks toward Ruth, Alex stops her.
ALEX
Might be better for you if I wait
here while you talk to your Mum.
SUZANNE
I'm not letting her off that
easily.
Suzanne takes Alex's hand and they cross to Ruth.
Ruth spots them, and is at first relieved to see Suzanne.
Then she notices they're holding hands. She gives Suzanne
her best disapproving glare, which Suzanne tries to ignore.
RUTH
I am livid. They won't let me
speak with Captain Smith.
SUZANNE
What do you want from the
Captain?
RUTH
An end to this foolishness about
lifeboats. No one is putting me
into an open boat!
Suzanne is surprised to see her mother is genuinely
frightened. Ruth starts for the door.
RUTH
(continuing)
There must be an officer about
somewhere...
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
SUZANNE
Mother, wait --
ALEX
-- The deck's awful dark, Ma'am.
I'll round someone up, if you want.
Alex's offer stops Ruth from leaving, but she still looks at
Suzanne while replying:
RUTH
That would be helpful.
INT. GUGGENHEIM'S STATEROOM
Mme. Aubert pushes the door open and finds Guggenheim
sitting with his stocking feet up on the writing desk. He's
removed his bulky life preserver and thrown it on the bed.
He's staring at the small framed picture of his daughters.
GUGGENHEIM
You should be up on deck with the
other ladies.
MME. AUBERT
I believe that is the first time
you called me a lady.
GUGGENHEIM
Figure of speech.
MME. AUBERT
(smiles)
What about you?
GUGGENHEIM
Frankly, when we get to New York,
I'd just as soon turn around and
jump on another ship. Must be in
my blood. My parents fell in
love crossing the Atlantic.
MME. AUBERT
Mysterious strangers, catching
one another's eye across the
promenade?
GUGGENHEIM
They were half-brother and -sister,
teenagers jammed in steerage with a
dozen other siblings. Back in
Switzerland, my grandparents were
both widowed. They wanted to marry
-more-
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
GUGGENHEIM (Cont'd)
each other, but the village rabbi
wouldn't bless the union. So they
married in a civil ceremony, and
fled to the US with their newly-
combined family. My father had to
wait four years before my mother
was old enough to become his wife.
MME. AUBERT
What a romantic story.
He stands and helps put her fur coat over her shoulders.
GUGGENHEIM
I always seem to blather when I'm
with you. Get out of here.
MME. AUBERT
(beat)
I think they are not telling us
the true situation.
GUGGENHEIM
I'm sure you're right.
MME. AUBERT
Thank you for not trying to
mislead me.
GUGGENHEIM
Not my style.
MME. AUBERT
Why have you removed your life
preserver?
GUGGENHEIM
It's damned uncomfortable, that's
why.
(off her look)
I wouldn't want to miss seeing
your little business plan put
into action, believe me.
MME. AUBERT
Then I will see you up top.
After a moment, she turns and goes.
EXT. BOAT DECK, PORT / BOAT #6
Alex and Suzanne spot Lightoller and Andrews near the
lifeboats. Lightoller is wearing a greatcoat over his
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
pajamas. Andrews is still in evening clothes. They and a
uniformed Crewman have managed to swing down Boat #6.
ANDREWS
(to Lightoller)
...We haven't enough men up here
to work the davits.
LIGHTOLLER
It's worse over on the starboard.
ANDREWS
If you can't find crew enough,
enlist some passengers to help.
Alex looks at Suzanne, then steps forward.
ALEX
If you need a hand...
ANDREWS
Are you a sailor?
ALEX
No... a reader. Seen some stuff
about your ship here and there.
I think I can crank a 'Welin'
Davit all right.
ANDREWS
(smiles)
Thank you.
LIGHTOLLER
(to Alex)
Go across to starboard, ask for
Officer Lowe.
ALEX
(to Andrews)
Look, people are gettin' nervous
with rumors of the ship
sinkin'... They could use some
words of assurance.
ANDREWS
I'll see what we can do.
But the look on Andrews' face tells Alex everything. Alex
nods, numb, suddenly accepting the true seriousness of the
situation. After a beat, he turns to Suzanne.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2)
ALEX
Guess I'll be over the other side
for a while.
SUZANNE
I'll come with you.
ALEX
No. Stick with your Mum, and the
Astors. No one'll make that
bunch wait for a good seat.
SUZANNE
What about you?
ALEX
I'll be back before you're off.
SUZANNE
That's not what I asked.
ALEX
I'll be okay. Always have been,
right?
(beat)
I better get to it...
Suzanne nods and tries to smile. They look at each other
for a moment, then, with a quick kiss, he's gone.
EXT. BOAT DECK, PORT
Just outside the Bridge, Boxhall kneels next to a flat
wooden crate, prying the top open. Inside are eight Roman-
candle-type rockets. Boxhall looks up, surprised, as
Captain Smith approaches.
BOXHALL
Captain, these rockets, they
ain't red, they're white!
CAPTAIN SMITH
They're supposed to be distress
rockets.
BOXHALL
These're all we got.
CAPTAIN SMITH
Fire them anyway -- one immediately
and one every five or six minutes.
INT. THIRD CLASS CORRIDORS
Some Crewmen open the trap door to Alex's firemen's passage.
The water that was swirling two decks below when Alex was
here is now only a few feet from the door. Frightened, the
Crewmen run off.
Nearby, oblivious to them, a fat baker in a white uniform,
CHARLES JOUGHIN, walks slowly along the corridor, steadying
himself against the ship's list and his own drunkenness by
sliding his shoulder against the wall as he goes. He pauses
for a moment to fortify himself from an almost empty bottle.
ANGLE ABOVE TITANIC
Boxhall fires a rocket. It hisses and flares into the air,
high above the ship. It explodes loudly, and a shower of
small trails arc down, burning out as they hit the water.
SUPERIMPOSE: 12:48 AM.
EXT. BOAT DECK, PORT
Crewmen have escorted Suzanne, Ruth, the Astors, Molly and
the others out on deck just in time to see the rocket.
The reactions vary: some murmur nervously, others grin like
it's the Fourth of July. Lightoller runs over to them.
LIGHTOLLER
There will be a moment's delay.
The ship's sounding spur is
directly below your boat. I've
sent some men to chop it off.
The group grumbles, but they have no choice but to cool
their well-heeled heels.
Lightoller grabs his Crew and they rush off to load another
boat in the meantime.
INT. CALIFORNIAN BRIDGE - NIGHT
Gibson and Stone see the rocket burst over the Titanic.
GIBSON
Was that a shootin' star?
STONE
I think it was a rocket.
GIBSON
I wonder why a ship like that
would fire rockets at night.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
Stone just continues staring at the distant ship. Gibson
half-heartedly tries Morsing again.
EXT. TITANIC, BOAT DECK, STARBOARD - NIGHT
Alex and a Crewmen are perched on the davits above Boat #5.
It is loaded and ready to lower. Lowe stands below Alex,
guiding the falls. They start cranking the davits, but
neither will function.
CREWMAN
(to Lowe)
Sir, it's stuck!
Alex keeps working his and finally gets it to move a little.
ALEX
Pulleys are jammed with fresh
paint!
(to Crewman)
Try crankin' back and forth.
Alex and the Crewman try to synchronize their movements and
free the frozen davit pulleys at the same time.
Inch by inch, the lifeboat starts descending -- one end then
the other momentarily lower as it creeps downward.
Ismay rushes over and starts waving his arms in circles.
ISMAY
Lower away, lower away, lower
away!
Lowe has no idea who Ismay is.
LOWE
If you'll get the hell out of the
way, they'll be able to do
something!
ISMAY
You're not going fast enough!
Quickly, quickly!
LOWE
If they lower any faster, they'll
drown the whole lot of 'em!
ISMAY
Do you know who I am?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
LOWE
I don't care if you're the bloody
Prince of Wales! Move back or
I'll knock your teeth down your
throat!
Frightened, Ismay pipes down.
INT. FIRST CLASS CORRIDORS - INCLUDE PURSER'S OFFICE
We notice a marked tilting of the surroundings caused by the
ship's gradual list to port and to the head. This
unsettling effect worsens as the night goes on.
A group of anxious ladies crowd around the Purser's Office.
WOMAN #1 WOMAN #2
I want my jewelry! Whatever is the delay
here?
Purser Herbert W. McElroy tries to maintain order.
MCELROY
Please form a queue, claim checks
at the ready. We will open the
vault momentarily!
WOMAN #2
Hurry! They're firing rockets
outside!
INT. GYMNASIUM
Ruth nervously scans the crowd. She hurries over to Suzanne
as she approaches.
RUTH
Where's my Officer?
SUZANNE
They're extremely busy --
RUTH
-- So I'm obliged to play along
with this farce? I'm going below
for my valuables.
SUZANNE
You shouldn't distract the crew
with another concern right now.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
RUTH
I paid handsomely for my ticket;
my desires are their concern.
Why do you suddenly care about
the crew? Is this what comes of
becoming so... intimate with the
lower classes?
SUZANNE
Well, Mother, you're the expert
about low class, all right;
because that's exactly what your
behavior has been.
Ruth is stunned. She looks around and is horrified to see
that everyone is listening.
SUZANNE
(continuing)
Now, if the best way we can help
is to wait with the others, and
not be a hindrance, that's
exactly what we're going to do.
Is that clear?
Ruth glares at Suzanne, looking as though she'll explode.
But after a long moment, she pushes in front of Suzanne and
crosses back to other passengers. Walking behind her,
Suzanne lets out an enormous sigh -- that felt good.
EXT. TITANIC
The bow has dipped down so far that the huge hole for the
anchor chain slips under water. With a thundering roar of
water, an additional 12 square feet is opened to the sea.
The pace of the sinking doubles.
FADE OUT
END OF ACT EIGHT
ACT NINE
FADE IN:
INT. BOILER ROOMS
Despite the heat, ear-splitting sound, hot metal and
shifting coals, Chief Bell and the engineering team stay at
their posts. They slosh through the rising water, nervously
monitoring and adjusting the equipment.
SUPERIMPOSE: 12:55 AM.
FIREMAN BARRETT
Chief! We're gonna lose another
generator!
CHIEF BELL
Cut back the load. Turn off the
fans, anything nonessential.
EXT. BOAT DECK, PORT
Molly Brown stands watching Crewmen help passengers into
Boat #6. As she moves away, the Young Crewman (whom she
intimidated in front of the gymnasium) grabs her.
YOUNG CREWMAN
You're goin', too, missy.
MOLLY
Whoa! I'll go when I'm good and
ready...
She tries to pull away. A second Crewman takes her other
arm. She struggles, so they pick her up and literally toss
her into the boat.
MOLLY
(continuing)
You rotten little weasels!
LIGHTOLLER
(from davits above)
Start lowering.
(to Hitchens, in boat)
Remember -- stand alongside, be
ready to take on additional
passengers.
INT. GUGGENHEIM'S STATEROOM
The door to Guggenheim's stateroom creaks open and Mme.
Aubert peers inside. Guggenheim is still sitting at his
desk. He looks up at her.
GUGGENHEIM
You shouldn't be down here.
MME. AUBERT
You actually sound concerned
about me.
GUGGENHEIM
Guess I'll have to watch that.
MME. AUBERT
I never went up. I have been
sitting in the foyer.
(beat)
What are we to do about New York?
When news of our predicament
becomes known, your wife will
probably come in from Pittsburgh.
GUGGENHEIM
That should be the least of your
worries.
MME. AUBERT
I must know: have you and she
always had an... arrangement?
GUGGENHEIM
Florette knew about me from the
start. Hell, I spent half my
time in the bawdyhouses when I
was working out west. It's a
habit my father started me on.
He took each of my brothers and
me to a brothel, the night of our
bar mitzvah.
(smiles)
It's funny, all I ever had in
common with the old SOB were
vices.
MME. AUBERT
Actually, it's sad... but I know
all about sadness. Fortunately,
I also know what it's like to be
deliriously happy.
GUGGENHEIM
(stands)
I want you to go up to the boats.
-more-
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
GUGGENHEIM (Cont'd)
(beat)
And remember, the champagne's on
you if your shrewd little
business maneuver blows up in my
face.
MME. AUBERT
Heaven help society if it came to
that. You would be destitute with
such style that everyone would want
to follow you to the poorhouse.
Guggenheim looks at her, weighing his next remark.
GUGGENHEIM
Seems I have something else in
common with my old man: falling
in love while crossing the
Atlantic.
Moved, Mme. Aubert looks down, unable to meet his glance.
MME. AUBERT
Ben...
GUGGENHEIM
Of course, he managed to make it
all the way across.
Mme. Aubert tries to laugh, but when she looks up her eyes
are wet with tears.
GUGGENHEIM
(continuing)
No tears; they don't suit you. And
no good-byes; they don't suit me.
(sotto)
Get going...
She nods and, after a moment, turns to go. She notices a
carnation in the lapel of his dinner jacket, which is
hanging on the clothes horse. She takes the flower, and
with one quick glance back at Guggenheim, she leaves.
INT. THIRD CLASS COMMON ROOM
Steward John Hart comes in to find the nervous crowd of
Steerage passengers still milling around.
HART
Listen! We've been ordered to
-more-
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
HART (Cont'd)
escort the women and children up
to the Boat Deck. I'll take a
group of twenty-five --
BUNKMATE #1
-- We all want to go. Now!
HART
We're takin' small groups so you
won't get split up and lost.
You'd have a devil of a time on
your own. Please, twenty-five
women and kids.
Easier said than done: some women and children cling to the
men, while other families tearfully separate.
Many speak to one another in their native tongue, not
understanding Hart's instructions.
A few turn around and go back to their bunks.
Mr. Navratil steps forward, carrying his two boys.
NAVRATIL
(French accent)
Please, take my sons with you.
HART
They're just babies... where's
their mum?
NAVRATIL
She's... she's dead.
HART
(after a beat)
All right. Come with me.
Hart spots the Goodwins and crosses to Fred. He smiles when
he sees that Sidney and Harold have both attached the White
Star pins he gave them to the front of their life preservers.
HART
I'll take the ladies and the
little ones if you'd please, sir.
Fred looks at Augusta. Before he can say anything:
AUGUSTA
We'll go nowhere without you.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2)
FRED
(to Hart)
Thanks. We'll wait a bit.
HART
But, sir...
(off Fred's look)
Okay, I'll come back for you.
INT. CALIFORNIAN BRIDGE - NIGHT
Gibson has become bored with Morsing. He and Stone see
rocket #2 burst above the ship in the distance.
STONE
Looked to be another rocket.
Blasted shame we're not closer.
GIBSON
So, ask 'im to move us... right
through the ice and all.
STONE
Only if I can say it was your idea.
They laugh, but don't make a move to wake the Captain.
EXT. BOAT DECK, PORT, TITANIC - NIGHT
We can sense a darkening of the mood around the ship. The
joking and lingering have ended; people enter lifeboats
eagerly.
Ismay wanders from lifeboat to lifeboat, pacing nervously,
not being much help to anyone. He continuously twists the
small ring on his pinkie.
Several men help Lightoller load Boat #8. Etches pushes
through with Mme. Aubert, and helps her into the boat.
Etches notices she's quietly crying.
MME. AUBERT
Not a word to Mr. Guggenheim
about my silly... sentimentality.
ETCHES
It's our secret.
Mme. Aubert takes her seat.
Lightoller next rushes Mrs. Straus and her Maid onto the
boat. Mrs. Straus starts to enter the boat, but stops with
one foot on the galeway.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
MRS. STRAUS
No.
She slips off her fur coat and hands it to her Maid.
MRS. STRAUS
(continuing; smiles)
Go ahead, put it on.
Everyone else in line backs up as she steps out of the boat.
Ismay comes over to see what's wrong.
MR. STRAUS
Ida, take your place.
MRS. STRAUS
We have been living together many
years. Where you go, I go.
ISMAY
(to Lightoller)
I don't see why anyone would object
to an old gentleman like Mr. Straus
going with his wife...
MR. STRAUS
I will not go before the other men.
Ismay looks at him as if he's crazy. Suddenly, rocket #3
streaks up and explodes above them, startling Mrs. Straus.
She composes herself and turns to Lightoller. He holds out
his hand in hopes she'll take it and come aboard the boat.
MRS. STRAUS
I won't be separated from my
husband.
Mr. Straus's eyes glisten behind his pince-nez as he helps
her down from the deck chair being used as makeshift steps.
He is both troubled and moved by her refusal to leave him.
MR. STRAUS
What am I to do with you?
INT. FIRST CLASS CORRIDORS
Andrews hurries from stateroom to stateroom, knocking on the
doors, then throwing them open to confirm the cabin is empty.
Ahead, Hart and his group of steerage passengers approaches.
Andrews looks suspiciously at Navratil, still carrying his
boys, then turns to Hart.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
ANDREWS
Why are these people not on deck?
HART
That's where we're headed, sir.
ANDREWS
I'll take them; you go back for
more. Tell me, have the officers
unlocked the gates to Third Class?
HART
I haven't noticed.
ANDREWS
Well, pass the word as you go!
HART
(beat)
Sir... to be truthful, I haven't
seen any officers below. I'm
only a Steward...
Andrews sees that Hart is extremely nervous.
ANDREWS
You're doing fine. We're all
frightened. Just keep in mind
those depending on us.
Hart glances at the anxious immigrants in their care. Then,
with a quick look at Andrews, he hurries off.
EXT. BOAT DECK, PORT
Suzanne, Ruth, the Astors and the others are still waiting
outside. They are not happy about it. Suzanne paces
impatiently. Ruth still smarts over Suzanne's scolding.
Madeleine stands close to Astor. He adjusts her new shawl
around her shoulders.
ASTOR
I was speaking in haste when I
said I wanted to sell the house
in New York. You should do
whatever you see fit with it.
MADELEINE
Me?
ASTOR
I just meant... with the baby
-more-
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
ASTOR (Cont'd)
coming... you should be more
involved in those sorts of
decisions.
MADELEINE
It would be a shame to abandon a
home you love so much.
ASTOR
You're too kind. You should say
it's idiotic. Like wasting even
one moment of life worrying about
something as trivial as people's
approval.
Madeleine smiles at him.
Captain Smith walks up and addresses the group:
CAPTAIN SMITH
We need you to go down one deck.
There is much grumbling among the passengers, but they start
on their way. Ismay overhears and runs in front of them.
ISMAY
One moment, one moment!
(to Captain Smith)
What on Earth is this about?
CAPTAIN SMITH
The ship's listing so badly that
the boat will swing out too far.
The men can secure it with
hawsers down on the Promenade --
ISMAY
(impatiently)
-- Whatever.
(to passengers)
Proceed. Quickly!
The group heads for the staircase to the Promenade Deck.
Ruth, preoccupied, doesn't follow.
SUZANNE
Are you coming?
RUTH
Lifeboats, indeed. This is
madness.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2)
Suzanne smiles as she sees Alex rush up. He's sweaty and
dirty from working. He wipes his hands before taking hers.
Suzanne's tenderness toward Alex is not lost on Ruth. She
watches them as they move off together.
ALEX
I only can stay for a minute.
She wipes his face with her handkerchief.
SUZANNE
I feel worthless, simply standing
around. Here they're shorthanded,
yet they expect the women to do
nothing but wait.
ALEX
Your Mum needs you, doesn't she?
SUZANNE
I'm beginning to realize, maybe
she does. I'm worried about her.
She's terrified about getting on
a lifeboat.
ALEX
Have you told her?
SUZANNE
No. Not yet.
(beat)
What's wrong with me? I'm numb.
With all there is to say to you,
I've nothing in my mind but
trivia: Patterns of light under
the trees where we walked. The
seats in the Music Hall squeaking
when we kissed. The time we saw
our reflection, all fragmented in
a shop window, and I thought your
eyes were mine.
ALEX
And me sayin' that was destiny.
SUZANNE
When I was in Oxford, I could
envision details of the future
just as clearly as those of the
past. Then I left, and it all
went dark.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (3)
ALEX
Listen, Suzanne, destiny's
somethin' I talk of sometimes, but
the future ain't written. Hope
and love's all there is. Lose
'em, you're bound to see darkness.
SUZANNE
Maybe for a moment hope was gone.
But never love.
LOWE
sees Alex and whistles to get his attention.
LOWE
I need you on the davits!
ALEX
waves, acknowledging. Frustrated, he looks at Suzanne.
SUZANNE
They need you.
ALEX
Yeah... I'll be back before you go.
Alex reluctantly leaves Suzanne and follows Lowe.
ANGLE ABOVE TITANIC
Rocket #4 streaks the sky, then bursts into bright balls of
light with a loud boom.
CAPTAIN SMITH
leans over the deck railing, and shouts down through his
megaphone to a lifeboat below:
CAPTAIN SMITH
Ahoy! Stand alongside!
HIS POV - ANGLE ON LIFEBOAT IN WATER
The crew in the boat ignore Smith's command and row quickly
away from the ship.
BACK TO SCENE
Incredulous, Captain Smith looks around the deck.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
CAPTAIN SMITH
Lightoller!
Lightoller runs over.
LIGHTOLLER
Sir?
CAPTAIN SMITH
The boats are ignoring orders to
stand by for more passengers!
Tell the men -- load the
remaining boats to capacity.
LIGHTOLLER
Yes, sir.
(looks around)
Sir... where are the group for
Number Four?
CAPTAIN SMITH
I sent them below to the
Promenade.
Lightoller is surprised. He's about to say something, but
thinks the better of it. Instead, he salutes and runs off.
EXT. TITANIC
Her bow has sunk so much that the ocean laps against her
name.
EXT. FIRST CLASS PROMENADE
Ruth, Astor and the others stand on the Promenade. Their
boat has been lowered to this level. But there's a small
complication: this part of the First Class Promenade is
enclosed by glass. The boat is inaccessible.
Captain Smith comes down and sees the problem.
CAPTAIN SMITH
Good God, this won't do at all.
(to passengers)
You'd better go back up top.
RUTH
You ordered us down here and now
you are taking us back?
We realize the old Captain is slowly losing control. After
a moment, he turns to a Crewman:
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
CAPTAIN SMITH
Remove these windows.
Rattled, he walks away. Ruth looks uneasily at Suzanne.
INT. CALIFORNIAN BRIDGE - NIGHT
Stone hands the glasses to Gibson.
STONE
Have a look at her now, Gibson.
GIBSON'S POV - THROUGH BINOCULARS
Even at this distance, the ship seems off-kilter.
GIBSON (OS)
She looks rather to have a big
side out of the water.
Then there is a faint streak upward, and a burst of white
stars above the Titanic.
GIBSON (OS)
(continuing)
Another rocket.
BACK TO SCENE
Gibson hands the binoculars back to Stone.
STONE
What is that, five?
(beat)
A ship's not going to fire
rockets at sea for nothin'.
GIBSON
Maybe they're in some sort of
distress.
Stone nods, agreeing. He reluctantly picks up the speaking
tube... and hands it to Gibson. Gibson grimaces -- thanks,
pal -- and blows into the tube. After a long beat:
CAPTAIN LORD (VO)
(groggy; thru speaking
tube)
What do you want?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
GIBSON
(into speaking tube)
It's Gibson, sir. That ship's
firing rockets... five so far.
INT. CALIFORNIAN CHART ROOM
Captain Lord, half asleep, wearing pants and undershirt, is
sitting on the chart table, holding the tube.
CAPTAIN LORD
(into speaking tube)
Are they private signals?
INT. CALIFORNIAN BRIDGE
Confused, Gibson turns to Stone.
GIBSON
He's askin' if they're 'private
signals'.
STONE
Fishermen's flares? No. Just
tell 'im the rockets are white.
GIBSON
(into speaking tube)
Captain? All we know is the
rockets are white.
CAPTAIN LORD (VO)
(through speaking tube)
Try the lamp again. When you get
an answer, let me know.
GIBSON
(into speaking tube)
Aye, sir.
Gibson hangs the tube up.
GIBSON
(continuing)
He said Morse 'em again.
STONE
English translation: 'quit
botherin' me.'
FADE OUT
END OF ACT NINE
ACT TEN
FADE IN:
INT. BRIDGE, TITANIC - NIGHT
Murdoch and Lightoller hurry onto the Bridge.
SUPERIMPOSE: 1:15 AM.
LIGHTOLLER
...They're in here.
Lightoller leads Murdoch to a locker behind the wheelhouse.
He unlocks it -- inside are several revolvers and boxes of
ammunition. Murdoch takes the guns from the locker and lays
them out on the wheelhouse console.
Ismay comes in and doubletakes at the weapons.
ISMAY
What is this? I cannot have you
shooting my passengers!
LIGHTOLLER
You'd rather they drown?
MURDOCH
(to Lightoller)
That's enough, Mister.
(to Ismay)
We've too few men to control a
mob, should it come to that.
Ismay gets a queasy look on his face as he realizes it
probably will come to that.
ISMAY
Just... just bear in mind that a
number of our passengers are very
influential people...
He leaves. Lightoller looks at Murdoch.
LIGHTOLLER
So don't offend anyone in First
Class by blowing their brains out.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
Lightoller turns to go. Murdoch hands him a revolver and
some ammunition. After a beat, Lightoller slips the gun
into his coat pocket and hurries back to the boats.
We hold on Murdoch's resolved look as he loads his revolver,
checks the action, and stuffs it in his belt.
INT. THIRD CLASS COMMON ROOM
Augusta looks at Fred. She's getting more and more
frightened. Fred's beginning to feel the same way.
FRED
Something's daft -- there's only
one Steward for the lot of us?
AUGUSTA
They've forgotten us!
LILY
Mr. Hart said he'd come back --
FRED
-- I don't like it, Lily. I
don't want to wait any longer.
Fred turns to the other passengers.
FRED
(continuing)
We're heading off for the boats
ourselves. Who's to go with us?
A Swedish Woman, her 12-year-old Daughter and two Irish
Girls join with them.
EXT. FIRST CLASS PROMENADE
Suzanne notices Guggenheim as he appears with his Valet.
They are wearing formal evening clothes -- white tie and
tails -- and no life preservers.
GUGGENHEIM
(sotto; to Etches)
Is Madame Aubert safely off?
ETCHES
Yes, sir. Put her aboard myself.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
GUGGENHEIM
Thank you. She was... all right?
ETCHES
Game and chipper, Mr. Guggenheim.
(notices)
Your life vest!
GUGGENHEIM
There is grave doubt the men will
get off. I'm willing to stay on,
play the man's game if there are
not enough boats for more than
the women and children. Tell my
family, Henry -- if it should
happen that I go down and you are
saved -- tell them I played the
game straight and to the end. No
woman will be left aboard because
Ben Guggenheim was a coward.
INT. CARPATHIA BRIDGE - NIGHT
The ship is shuddering with its great speed. First Officer
Dean comes onto the Bridge, looking for Captain Rostron. He
sees him standing alone, facing the water, head slightly
bowed, lips moving silently in supplication.
Sensing someone behind him, Rostron turns to Dean.
DEAN
Everything is ready.
CAPTAIN ROSTRON
Lookouts?
DEAN
Six extra men.
CAPTAIN ROSTRON
Engine room?
DEAN
Chief's cryin' bloody murder, but
we've got seventeen and a half
knots from engines certified to
do twelve.
(after a beat)
We'll be up to the ice soon,
Captain.
CAPTAIN ROSTRON
Carry on, Mr. Dean.
EXT. TITANIC AND LIFEBOATS - NIGHT
Several lifeboats move away at various distances from the
dying ship. MUSIC from Hartley's orchestra carries across
the calm ocean.
INT. THIRD CLASS CORRIDORS - FOLLOW THE GOODWINS
and the others accompanying them as they hurry through the
myriad of twist, turns and obstacles on the way to the Boat
Deck
They are stymied by locked gates, dead-end corridors, or
sealed bulkhead doors.
Harold and Sidney, the younger Goodwin kids, start to flag.
FRED
Up ya go, troops.
Fred picks one of them up in each arm. They lean their
heads on his shoulders and close their eyes.
The group turns a corner and hears water rushing.
AUGUSTA
Good Lord, what's that?!
It's coming from a Firemen's passage trap door, much like
the one Alex used to get to and from First Class.
FRED
Let's double back.
The group wearily turns and starts back the way they came.
NEW ANGLE
Just beyond where they turned around is an accordion gate
leading to a stairway. They did not get close enough to
that notice the gate has been unlocked, or that Joughin, the
drunken baker, is wobbling slowly up the stairs.
We see the sign above the gate: To Upper Decks.
EXT. FIRST CLASS PROMENADE
A couple of Crewmen struggle to remove the big panes of
glass between the Promenade and Boat #4.
Suzanne watches for any sign of Alex.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
RUTH
Is your young... friend still
assisting the crew?
SUZANNE
Yes.
RUTH
Where did he learn about ships?
SUZANNE
If it's something built by the
hands of man, Alex knows how it
works.
RUTH
Listen to me, Suzanne, I cannot do
this -- I cannot get on a
lifeboat. I do not see why we
must leave the safety of the ship.
SUZANNE
(beat)
The ship won't be here much longer.
RUTH
That's nonsense.
SUZANNE
I heard Captain Smith tell Jack
Astor.
Ruth is shocked. She looks over at Astor.
ASTOR
is calmly keeping Madeleine amused nearby. He says
something that we cannot hear, and Madeleine laughs.
RUTH
turns back to Suzanne.
RUTH
Just before you were born, your
father and I were in Europe. He
didn't want to journey home
because I was expecting. But I
said I would not allow myself to
become ill. Of course, by the
second day out I was green. I
cried the whole trip -- I knew
-more-
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
RUTH (Cont'd)
how to cry in those days -- I was
so worried the sickness would
hurt my baby. They put me to bed
straightaway when we got home.
You came early, in a snowstorm.
Our nurse tried to hand you to me
and I started to cry anew: you
had dark hair, but everyone in
the family was fair! I accused
the nurse of giving me a gypsy
baby. I was convinced mine had
died because I was so pigheaded
about taking that cursed boat
trip. Your father came in, and
he made me hold you. I finally
did, and I knew right away you
were mine.
(beat)
And here I've taken you on
another cursed boat trip.
SUZANNE
(smiles; sotto)
Let's go join the others.
As they go, Ruth takes Suzanne's hand in hers.
INT. THIRD CLASS CORRIDORS
The Goodwins and their party come across a gate where two
Crewmen are within earshot on the other side.
FRED
Excuse me... Come, let us through!
CREWMAN AT GATE #1
Can't open the gate without
orders.
FRED
Great God, man! At least let the
women and kids through!
The Crewmen look at one another. Then, after a long beat,
they approach the gate.
CREWMAN AT GATE #1
All right, women and kids then.
As the Crewmen unlock the gate, Fred turns to Augusta. She
shakes her head, frightened.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
AUGUSTA
Fred, no...
FRED
Go with the sailors, Gussie,
you'll be fine.
LILY
Please, Daddy, don't split us up.
Please don't...
AUGUSTA
It must be a madhouse up there...
how could we ever find you?
FRED
Don't mind about that, just go
while you got the chance!
AUGUSTA
I won't do it, Frederick! They
need their father with 'em!
The arguing between Fred and Augusta sets the whole brood
off -- talking, yelling, crying all at once.
FRED
All right, all of ya pipe down!
AUGUSTA
(softly)
I need their father with me.
After a beat, Fred turns to the two Irish Girls and the
Swedish mother and daughter who have been with them.
FRED
Go on up now. It's okay.
(to Crewmen)
There's some lassies coming.
(to them)
They'll see after you. Be brave.
The women go up through the gate. The Crewmen lock off the
gate again without looking back at the Goodwins.
FRED
(continuing)
Bloody bastards.
INT. CALIFORNIAN BRIDGE - NIGHT
Gibson has given up Morsing again. He and Stone look at the
Titanic in the distance.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
GIBSON
Looks as though she's moving off.
STONE
Aye, maybe so. But if she's
sailing from us, we should be
seein' her stern lights.
GIBSON
It's a queer situation, Mr.
Stone.
No shit. But neither makes a move to do anything about it.
EXT. BOAT DECK, PORT, TITANIC - NIGHT
There is now a press of frantic people wanting to get on the
boats.
SUPERIMPOSE: 1:30 AM.
Lightoller and Steward Hart are loading the last his group
from steerage into Boat #14. The boat is filled to capacity.
A mob of men -- a mixed group from all classes -- rush the
boat. Lowe swipes at them with the heavy wooden tiller
handle he'd been handing down into the boat.
LOWE
Move away!
The onslaught pushes some terrified people into the open
space between the gunwale and the lifeboat.
A woman in black almost falls. Lightoller grabs her by the
ankle and drags her back onto deck.
Hart wades into the melee to help Lightoller and Lowe push
the men back. He gets a bloody nose for his efforts.
Some other passengers form a protective circle around the
loading area as the last few women are brought aboard, but
they are barely able to keep the crowd at bay.
As Hart turns to go, Lowe grabs his arm.
LOWE
Hop in.
HART
I gotta go back for more people --
LOWE
-- No time.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
HART
Please, they're waitin' for me!
LOWE
Take an oar! This boat's nothing
but women and kids, for Christ's
sake!
Under great duress, Hart gets into the boat. Lowe moves
away from the boat and Lightoller stops him.
LIGHTOLLER
You, too. He can't row by
himself.
LOWE
Not me, sir.
LIGHTOLLER
Get into the blasted boat!
That's an order!
After a moment, Lowe angrily steps back into the boat.
EXT. BOAT #14
A hysterical young Man pushes through the crowd and jumps in
the packed boat.
HYSTERICAL MAN
I want to go!
The shock from the Man's jump makes the falls slip a few
inches and sends a scare through the boat's occupants.
Lowe pulls out his revolver and points it at the Man's face.
LOWE
I give you just ten seconds to
get back onto that ship before I
blow your brains out!
The Man whimpers and falls to his knees. The altercation
terrifies the women in the boat; many begin crying.
A Little Girl tugs at Lowe's sleeve.
LITTLE GIRL
Please, Mister, don't shoot!
Lowe shoves his revolver into his waistband and grabs the
Man under the arms. The Man is sobbing and clinging to
Lowe's leg. Lowe pries the Man loose and rolls him up to
Lightoller on the deck of the ship.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
LOWE
Take us down!
(to crowd)
Don't anyone else move!
He leans out between the boat and the side of the ship and
fires his revolver twice. The shooting sets off a fresh
round of screaming from the women and children in the Boat.
EXT. FIRST CLASS PROMENADE
The crewmen have finally managed to get the Promenade
windows open. Boat #4 dangles even with the window frame.
Because of the Titanic's list, boat hooks secured with wire
hawsers have pulled the lifeboat tight in next to the ship.
Suzanne, increasingly worried that she'll miss Alex, keeps
looking around for him. She moves back so that she is the
last one in the line to board the boat.
Several women cling to their husbands, refusing to be parted
from them.
Astor and Madeleine are next in line. The touching scenes
of the other passengers around them has her brimming with
fear and emotion. Astor tries to appear nonchalant.
ASTOR
It's time.
MADELEINE
No...
ASTOR
Promise me you'll be careful not
to get a chill.
He helps her climb aboard.
MADELEINE
Jack, please come with me!
ASTOR
(to Lightoller)
She's expecting a child, and is
in delicate condition.
LIGHTOLLER
They'll watch out for her.
Just as she steps over the gunwale, Astor stops her and
holds her close.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
ASTOR
(sotto)
I realize now how appropriate it
was, our honeymooning in Egypt.
You accomplished what antiquity
only dreamed of -- you brought
some dusty old bones back to life.
Astor smiles reassuringly as she takes her place and tries
not to cry. He looks at her, so small in the lifeboat,
trying to seem brave, and his placid façade almost cracks.
He adjusts her shawl, and gives her his gloves. There is so
much more to say, and no time in which to say it.
ASTOR
(continuing; sotto)
My darling wife... I'll see you
in the morning.
Conscious of people watching him, Astor steps quickly back
and clears his throat, trying to get rid of the lump in it.
RUTH
approaches Astor.
RUTH
Jack?
He turns to her, surprised.
RUTH
(continuing; sotto)
As a schoolgirl, I excelled in
mathematics. I recall there
being twenty lifeboats. They
appear to hold sixty people;
that's seats for twelve hundred.
I also recall there being two
thousand people aboard...
(grabs his arm)
Don't be a fool! You could buy
the Titanic with your pocket
change!
ASTOR
(smiles; sotto)
You would do me a great kindness
not to mention your calculations
to Madeleine.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
RUTH
(nods)
I... haven't a clue how one begs
forgiveness...
ASTOR
On the contrary, Madam.
LIGHTOLLER
(to Ruth)
Please step aboard.
INCLUDE BOAT #4
Suzanne, still hanging back, catches the look of admiration
that Ruth -- and the other ladies -- give Astor. He helps
Ruth as she fights back her fear and steps into the boat.
Astor turns to Suzanne. He offers his hand to help her into
the boat. Suzanne pauses, still looking around for Alex.
RUTH
Suzanne...
Suzanne looks around at Astor and Lightoller. Shaking her
head, she backs away from the lifeboat.
SUZANNE
I can't go without Alex.
RUTH
Don't do this! Get in the boat!
ALEX (OS)
Suzanne!
ANGLE ON ALEX AND SUZANNE
Alex runs over. Suzanne rushes to meet him and they fall
into each other's arms.
ALEX
Feels like we're in front of your
school, and the Watchman's
pullin' the gate closed.
SUZANNE
I won't leave without you.
ALEX
That's crazy! It does none of us
any good, your stayin' behind --
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
SUZANNE
-- Don't you see? The reason the
future was blank is that without
you, there is nothing for me!
ALEX
I'm askin', for my sake --
LIGHTOLLER (OS)
-- Ma'am, we have to move on.
RUTH (OS)
Suzanne!
Suzanne clings to Alex, unwilling to let go. He gently
leads her to the boat, and tries to smile.
ALEX
This may be the only time you
hear me say mind your Mum...
They stand at the edge of the lifeboat. Ruth and Alex glance
at each other as she stands to help Suzanne to her seat.
SUZANNE
No... not yet...
ALEX
One of these days we're gonna
have all the time in the world.
They embrace. Then, resigned, she lets go. As soon as she
steps into the boat, the Crewmen start cranking the davits.
EXT. BOAT #4
Suzanne is jarred from her despair by the look of terror on
Ruth's face. Suzanne puts her arm around her mother, then
looks up forlornly at Alex.
EXT. FIRST CLASS PROMENADE
Alex stands back next to Astor and watches the boat go down.
In appearances they could not be more dissimilar, yet their
shared emotions transcend all class boundaries. As they
watch the boat begin to row away, we
FADE OUT
END OF ACT TEN
ACT ELEVEN
FADE IN:
EXT. TITANIC - NIGHT
The ship has settled so far down at the head that the
forecastle is even with the surface of the ocean. The sound
of the orchestra mixes incongruously with that of panicked
voices.
SUPERIMPOSE: 1:40 AM.
INT. THIRD CLASS COMMON ROOM & CORRIDORS
The lack of crew and directions have caused great confusion,
and a strange mixture of attitudes:
Crying out in fear and anger, knots of people run through
the corridors, looking for a way to the top decks.
A few gather with rosaries in their hands. A Priest, Father
Thomas Byles, circles among them, offering comfort.
Others wait quietly for someone with instructions to come; a
few play cards on the steps.
Some try to ignore the seriousness of the situation. One
man plays the piano and a few Swedish passengers dance
together.
EXT. BOAT DECK, PORT
A few terrified people jump down from the deck into the
ocean, now only 20 feet below.
Nearby, Andrews throws furniture, doors, and anything that
floats to people thrashing around in the frigid water below.
ANDREWS
Climb up! Keep yourselves as far
out of the water as possible!
EXT. ANGLE ABOVE TITANIC
The eighth rocket streaks across the sky.
EXT. BOAT DECK, PORT - NEAR BRIDGE - CLOSE
The rocket crate is empty.
CAPTAIN SMITH
stands near the launcher, peering through binoculars.
HIS POV THROUGH BINOCULARS
The Californian has not moved, not has she responded to any
of the Titanic's distress signals.
CAPTAIN SMITH (OS)
Damn your eyes.
BACK TO SCENE
Bitterly disappointed, Captain Smith turns to Boxhall, who's
standing near the Morse lamp.
CAPTAIN SMITH
Don't bother Morsing any more.
Go help with the boats.
Boxhall watches as Captain Smith walks dejectedly away.
EXT. BOAT DECK, STARBOARD / COLLAPSIBLE C
It's a mob scene. As Alex and Murdoch hurry to load
Engelhardt Collapsible "C", (a 40-person boat with wooden
bottoms and canvas sides) a crowd of men rush them. A few
manage to get aboard the Collapsible.
Murdoch fires his pistol skyward, startling the crowd into a
momentary silence.
MURDOCH
Stand back!
Alex and Murdoch grab the violators and pull them out of the
boats by their legs. The men scamper away toward the stern
and disappear.
Ismay, sweating even in the freezing air, stands cowering
nearby, avoiding the violent confrontation.
MURDOCH
(continuing)
Ladies? Any more ladies?
ALEX
(points)
Over there...
ANGLE ON GATE
The Italian steerage family (whose six-year-old had played
with the Goodwin boys) stand at the threshold of a gate from
below, through which only women and children may pass.
MURDOCH (OS)
Hurry!
The man kneels next to his son, saying a rushed, tearful
good-bye. The little boy won't be parted from his father.
The man looks up at his wife, who is also crying. He pleads
with his eyes for her to take the boy.
ITALIAN MAN
Passare! (Go!)
She kisses her husband and pulls the child away with her.
ITALIAN BOY
No! Papa! No!
The Man clutches the gate, sobbing openly, watching them go.
Unnerved, the Crewman manning the gate turns away.
INCLUDE COLLAPSIBLE C
The boy cries bitterly, holding his arms out to his father.
His mother is faint with emotion, blinded by tears; Alex and
Murdoch must help her find her seat in the Collapsible.
Alex can barely stand it. He looks over at Murdoch -- can't
the father go, too? -- but Murdoch just shakes his head.
The Italian woman tries to comfort the boy.
It becomes mournfully quiet as the two Crewmen on the davits
begin to lower the Collapsible.
Murdoch takes one of the two lanterns with him as he and
Alex move away.
CLOSER
Then we notice Ismay, alone on the dimly-lit Deck. He looks
furtively around, deciding, tormented...
He quietly steps down into the slowly-lowering Collapsible.
The Third Class occupants of the lifeboat glare at him. But
neither they, nor the lowly Crewmen on the davits, dare
challenge the well-dressed Chairman of the Shipping Line as
he gets aboard the boat.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
Finding a place to sit, Ismay pulls up the collar of his
topcoat, hunches over, and turns his back to the others in
the boat.
INT. FIRST CLASS SMOKING ROOM
The quiet here is a bizarre contrast to the frantic events
everywhere else on the ship.
A man reads a book. Another writes a letter, while another
checks the time on his pocket watch, over and over again.
Several card games are still in progress. The players smoke
cigars, sip brandy, and concentrate intensely on the game.
The Bartender calmly puts champagne bottles out on the bar.
BARTENDER
Gentlemen, all drinks are on the
house.
One of the Gamblers, an American man in evening clothes,
looks into his highball glass:
AMERICAN GAMBLER
I'd asked for ice, but this is
ridiculous.
The other card players don't look up from their game.
EXT. BOAT DECK, PORT
The Strauses stand together, watching from a safe distance
as some people run around aimlessly, panicked, and others
press together in anxious crowds surrounding the few
remaining lifeboats.
Hurrying by, Lightoller stops when he sees Mrs. Straus.
LIGHTOLLER
Come with me -- there are two
Collapsibles left, on top of the
wheelhouse...
MR. STRAUS
Yes, why don't you go with him?
MRS. STRAUS
I am fine where I am.
Mr. Straus looks at Lightoller and nods: it's okay. After a
moment, Lightoller goes on about his business.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
They move over toward the deck chairs. Nearby, Guggenheim
is peering out over the railing at the retreating lifeboats.
He looks up, surprised and concerned to see Mrs. Straus.
Before he can ask, she holds up her hand.
MRS. STRAUS
I appreciate your concern, Ben.
GUGGENHEIM
May I have a moment?
MR. STRAUS
We're not exactly going anywhere.
GUGGENHEIM
I'd like your opinion of a
strategy: I have a group of
speculators on my tail --
MR. STRAUS
-- I suspected as much. Are you
issuing more stock?
GUGGENHEIM
I'm too overextended.
MR. STRAUS
That part is news to me.
GUGGENHEIM
But my credit is still good. I
have enough assets left to mortgage
to become an attractive partner.
MR. STRAUS
(nods, smiles)
I see. Combine forces, buy a
controlling share in the
speculators' concerns preemptively.
GUGGENHEIM
Think it will work?
MR. STRAUS
Maybe. Probably. But trying
something so audacious is a thing
of beauty.
Guggenheim is pleased.
GUGGENHEIM
The bar in the smoking room is
still serving...
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2)
MR. STRAUS
Maybe we'll catch up.
Guggenheim kisses Mrs. Straus's hand and leaves.
CLOSER
Mr. Straus sits back down next to his wife. Then, with a
guilty look, he reaches into his jacket pocket and takes out
the cigar he got from Woolner.
From force of habit she gives him a scolding look, but it's
a little late to be worrying about his health. She watches
as he carefully clips the tip of the cigar, lights it and
slowly draws in a delicious cloud of smoke.
Finally, Mrs. Straus cannot help herself. She lifts the
cigar from his fingers and takes a tentative puff, imitating
his connoisseur's movements. She blows out the smoke.
Unimpressed, she hands it back to him.
MRS. STRAUS
Sneaking around all those years,
and for that?
MR. STRAUS
It could've been women, like
Guggenheim.
MRS. STRAUS
Women aren't as bad for you.
EXT. COLLAPSIBLE C
Ismay can't face the sinking ship. He glances at the people
around him, then notices the Italian Woman's bitter, accusing
eyes on him. Mortified, he turns away, hiding his face with
his jacket. He clutches his knees and starts rocking back
and forth, breathing rapidly and muttering to himself.
INT. BOILER ROOMS
Bell pauses from his work to wipe his face. He looks around
and sees all of his men still at their stations.
CHIEF BELL
Bonny lads.
He goes back to working the boiler controls.
EXT. BOAT DECK, PORT / COLLAPSIBLE D
Alex sits perched on top of the davit above Collapsible D.
The deck below him is mobbed. Some men make a protective
circle around the Collapsible, allowing only women and
children through.
As the mob moves forward, Lightoller pulls out his pistol
and waves it at them.
LIGHTOLLER
Everybody! Back away!
Suddenly, the mysterious Mr. Navratil appears, carrying his
two boys. He hugs them and then thrusts them to a surprised
Lightoller. Before Lightoller can say anything, Navratil
runs away.
The crowd moves back sufficiently to allow Andrews to push
through with Stewardess Sloan.
ANDREWS
Step down, Mary; carefully, now.
SLOAN
What about you? Think of your
family...
He doesn't respond. Then, as Sloan takes her seat, he grabs
her hand.
ANDREWS
Mary, if you could tell them...
(beat)
Just ask them please to forgive
me...
SLOAN
(weeping)
Oh, Mr. Andrews....
Near tears himself, he steps out of the Collapsible and
looks up at Lightoller.
ANDREWS
There should be an officer... you
should get aboard.
LIGHTOLLER
Not damn likely.
(turns to a Crewman)
You -- with me!
Lightoller and the Crewman hurry away.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
Alex and a Crewman crank the davits. The Collapsible begins
its descent.
Alex notices that Andrews turns and walks away rather than
watch the Collapsible descend, for he's begun to weep.
EXT. FIRST CLASS PROMENADE
One deck directly below, several of the windows have been
broken out by people throwing deck chairs into the water.
Woolner and Steffanson hurry along toward the stern. Their
pants legs and shoes are wet.
STEFFANSON
Bit of a tight spot, old man.
They see the Collapsible descend past them from above and
peer down into it.
WOOLNER
Look, there's room in the bow!
Let's make a jump for it!
He grabs Steffanson's arm and they leap, tumbling 10 feet
into the fully-loaded Collapsible. When they land inside
it, the falls jerk violently.
ALEX
is knocked loose from his precarious hold on the davit.
Grabbing unsuccessfully for the falls, Alex topples down
into the Collapsible.
EXT. COLLAPSIBLE D
Alex hits his head on the tiller. Stewardess Sloan moves
over to him and cradles his head in her lap.
Woolner and Steffanson, unhurt by their leap, climb over the
other passengers to get next to Alex. Steffanson proffers a
handkerchief.
STEFFANSON
Terribly sorry, old chap.
As Sloan presses the handkerchief to the bloody bump on the
side of his head, Alex groans and tries to sit up.
ALEX
I'm okay...
SLOAN
Nonsense. Lie still.
ALEX'S POV
Bleary-eyed, Alex looks up at the enormous side of the
Titanic as they row away.
EXT. WHEELHOUSE ROOF
The two remaining Collapsibles are stored in an absurdly
inaccessible place -- atop the wheelhouse roof, ten feet
above the boat deck.
Murdoch, Lightoller, Purser McElroy, several passengers and
Crewmen have set up oars as makeshift ramps. They are
frantically trying to slide Collapsible B down onto the deck
below.
Elsewhere, frightened voices fill the air in a horrible
cacophony of panic and desperation.
LIGHTOLLER
Watch it... keep 'er even...
tight on those lines there...
careful!!
To their horror, the Collapsible breaks loose, slides off
the roof and crashes upside down onto the Boat Deck.
EXT. CALIFORNIAN - NIGHT
INT. CALIFORNIAN CHART ROOM
Lord lies dozing on the settee. The whistle from the tube
awakens him. He reaches over and grabs it.
CAPTAIN LORD
(into speaking tube)
What is it now?
GIBSON (VO)
(thru speaking tube)
That ship, she fired eight
rockets in all. Never answered
our Morse.
CAPTAIN LORD
(into speaking tube)
And you say there were no colors
in the rockets?
GIBSON (VO)
(thru speaking tube)
No, sir. All white. Now Mr.
Stone thinks she's steaming away
toward the Southwest.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
CAPTAIN LORD
(into speaking tube)
Very well.
Lord hangs up the tube and lies back down.
EXT. TITANIC - NIGHT
The forecastle is now submerged; the surface of the ocean
approaches the level of the Bridge.
INT. THIRD CLASS CORRIDORS
The Goodwins run faster as the OS sound of voices gets their
attention. They turn a corner and Fred grins:
FRED
Fresh air! Gussie, when this is
over, it's pints all around!
ANGLE AT TOP OF STAIRWAY
A group of angry steerage passengers stand at the top of a
short stairway, where a locked metal gate keeps them from
the open deck.
The Goodwins come up behind the crowd.
Alex's Bunkmates are at the front of the crowd. They rattle
the metal gate.
BUNKMATE #1 BUNKMATE #2
Hey, let us up! Open the bloody gate!
The Crewmen guarding the gate stand their ground.
GATE CREWMAN
First Class only! Go back down!
The passengers are so infuriated that they swarm into the
gate, kicking it, and ramming it with their shoulders. It
finally gives way and the group rushes on deck.
EXT. BOAT DECK, STARBOARD
As the angry group bursts out onto deck they thin out,
scattering here and there.
Following the others, the Goodwins run onto the deck,
thrilled in the moment of their salvation.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
They slow when they find this part of the deck dark and
deserted. Then Fred stops. He stares, amazed...
HIS POV
Every davit is empty. The fixed-hull lifeboats have all
been launched.
FRED
is stunned and horrified.
FRED
On the other side... Must be on
the other side...
He gathers up Harold and Sidney in his arms. The family
hurries across the dark deck.
EXT. BOAT DECK, PORT
The Goodwins run into the small lighted area under the few
remaining lanterns on this side of the ship.
The same sight greets them: empty davits.
Fred looks at Augusta. The sickening realization that their
fate is sealed washes over them.
Charles steps forward, not understanding.
CHARLES
Daddy, where's our boat?
FRED
We'll have to ask the man that
very thing, now won't we?
Fred leads his family to a group of deck chairs. He and
Augusta try to show no emotion. The children sit. The
younger ones are punchy from fatigue, the older ones try to
be good soldiers.
Lily understands their situation. She looks at her parents,
hoping for an expression of encouragement, but is horrified
when none comes.
Augusta pushes the other kids' chairs closer together in
order to occupy their attention.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
AUGUSTA
It's frightfully cold, so we're
all going to button up our
jerseys and put on our caps...
The kids, fumbling with their clothes, follow her example.
Lily tries not to let the others see her crying.
CLOSER
Fred turns to Augusta, anguished.
FRED
(sotto)
What have I done?
She gently puts her fingers over his mouth.
AUGUSTA
Come, we'll sit with the children
for a while.
Augusta takes his hand and they sit. The boys are peering
with amazement at the clear night sky.
HAROLD
(grinning)
Momma, look -- have you ever seen
so many stars?
Augusta shakes her head and smiles at him. Somewhere far
away the band is playing a sweet folk melody.
We slowly PULL BACK away from the family, sitting alone on
the huge, empty, dark deck, and then we
FADE OUT
END OF ACT ELEVEN
ACT TWELVE
FADE IN:
EXT. TITANIC - NIGHT
Listing pitifully, with her entire bow below the waterline,
she looks like a collapsing birthday cake. Her lights now
glow an eerie red as the power begins to fail. An
occasional scream stands out above the ongoing din of
frightened voices... and the music of the band.
SUPERIMPOSE: 2:10 AM.
INT. FIRST CLASS DINING ROOM
It appears deserted. The lights are dim, cheerless.
Etches, wearing a life preserver, passes by.
He sees Andrews, all alone, arms folded, staring at the
magnificent, empty room. A scant few hours ago the cream of
society was dining here, without a care in the world.
ETCHES
Will you not try to save
yourself, Mr. Andrews?
For a long moment, Andrews doesn't acknowledge his presence.
Then he turns to look at him.
ANDREWS
There was a line, much quoted.
It was even in the newspapers:
'God Himself cannot sink this
ship.'
(beat)
She has an appropriate name after
all. The Titans dared challenge
the gods, and for their arrogance
they were cast down into hell.
Andrews turns away. Etches quietly leaves him alone.
EXT. CARPATHIA - NIGHT
The ship maintains its breakneck speed.
INT. CARPATHIA BRIDGE
The Bridge is in near-darkness. The only light comes from
the small lamp over the chart table where Captain Rostron
calculates their position. Dean stands facing front,
scanning the ocean.
Captain Rostron looks up as bearded, tired-looking DR. FRANK
McGHEE (50's) approaches.
CAPTAIN ROSTRON
Doctor, have some of the mates
bring a dozen heavy deck chairs
below. Equip them with heavy
bindings. We may have a few
hysterics with which to contend.
(sotto)
And see to getting some ice and
canvas bags, put them down in the
cargo bay... for the dead.
DEAN
Iceberg ahead!
Captain Rostron turns, sees the berg in their path.
CAPTAIN ROSTRON
Port around, QM. Ten degrees.
Maintain your speed.
The men on the Bridge cast an uneasy look at one another.
No one relishes the thought of rushing headlong into a
region of icebergs at above maximum speed.
A scared Lookout runs onto the Bridge.
LOOKOUT
Captain! Bergs and growlers
everywhere! Pack ice, too!
CAPTAIN ROSTRON
Thank you, Mr. Lang.
Captain Rostron notices the men on the Bridge have turned
their attention to him.
CAPTAIN ROSTRON
(continuing)
Eyes ahead, lads: we do neither
the Titanic nor ourselves any good
if we succumb to her same fate.
Prudence would dictate slowing, or better, stopping. But
Captain Rostron does not have the luxury of prudence.
EXT. BOAT DECK, PORT, TITANIC - NIGHT
The frightened, increasingly angry shouts of the crowds grow
quieter as people move aft, toward higher ground on the
tilting ship. Mr. and Mrs. Straus sit together on a bench.
He looks at her.
MR. STRAUS
Lantern light flatters you, Ida.
She frowns and fusses with her jacket.
MRS. STRAUS
I'm a sight.
MR. STRAUS
You're a vision.
MRS. STRAUS
You're a smooth one with the
ladies.
MR. STRAUS
One lady, at least. Why me, so
lucky?
MRS. STRAUS
Forty-seven years. Such luck
would've killed most men.
MR. STRAUS
What a way to go.
He smiles at her and contentedly puffs his cigar as she puts
her arm around his waist and leans against his shoulder.
INT. AFT CARGO BAY
Astor hurries into the cargo area. We can hear the OS
pounding of rushing water, coming from behind the watertight
compartment. The caged and crated animals are terrified.
Astor locates Kitty's cage. She starts whining when she
sees him.
ASTOR
All right, Kitty, come on out.
Astor opens the door and the frightened dog slinks out. He
scratches her head and attaches her leash to her collar.
He leads her to the doorway to the open deck just above.
She runs in circles, anxious to get up to the deck. Astor
undoes her leash.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
ASTOR
(continuing)
Good luck, old girl.
He lets her go and she bolts away, following the scent of
the open air.
Now in no particular hurry, Astor turns to leave. But then he
notices it is his and Madeleine's huge collection of matched
luggage stacked neatly around Kitty's carrier. He pulls some
of the bags off the shelves, until he finds a small valise.
He sits on a steamer trunk and opens the valise.
CLOSER
Inside the valise are photographs of him and Madeleine;
postcards; and souvenirs acquired during their honeymoon.
He thumbs through the pictures, but what he discovers
beneath them stops him cold:
Several items of baby clothing they'd been buying.
Lost in his thoughts, Astor looks at the colorful, tiny
outfits -- clothes to have been worn by a child he realizes
he'll never see.
He cannot bear to look at them any longer, so he carefully
folds the outfits and returns them to the valise. He closes
the valise and sits quietly, all alone, surrounded like a
Pharaoh in his tomb by piles of his earthly belongings.
INT. WIRELESS ROOM
Captain Smith enters. Phillips doesn't look up from his key.
CAPTAIN SMITH
Men, you've done your duty, you
can do no more. Now it's every
man for himself... that's the way
of it in times such as this.
Phillips continues to tap.
CAPTAIN SMITH
(continuing)
I release you. Abandon your
cabin, save yourselves!
PHILLIPS
(still tapping)
Right away, sir.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
Captain Smith looks at Bride, who nods -- he'll get them out
of there. Smith pauses for a moment to look around at the
tiny room and at the brave young men before he leaves.
BRIDE
He's right. Power's almost gone.
You're talkin' to yourself.
Phillips keeps tapping.
Bride goes to the bunk and quickly gathers his money and
papers. As an afterthought, he brings along a couple of
Phillips' travel books.
BRIDE
(continuing)
Guess we'll be seein' a big part
of the world tonight. They say
it's three-quarters water, right?
He turns back to Phillips and is surprised to see a Stoker
in grimy overalls trying to slide Phillips' life preserver
off the table.
BRIDE
(continuing)
Hey!
Bride lunges at him. But the much-larger Stoker shoves
Bride back. Bride slams into the wall.
Phillips snaps out of his trance. The Stoker wraps one hand
around Phillips' throat and grabs for the life preserver
with the other.
Enraged, Bride gets up off the floor. He looks around,
spotting a thick steel crossbar leaning against an equipment
table. He grabs it in both hands and swings...
He smashes the Stoker across the ear with it, and the Stoker
crumples to the floor.
CLOSER
Bride kneels to pull the life preserver out from under him.
Stunned, Phillips looks at his friend.
PHILLIPS
Blimey... He's dead!
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
BRIDE
He didn't deserve to die like a
sailor. C'mon.
As they head out, water starts creeping across the floor.
EXT. BOAT DECK - ANGLE ON FORECASTLE
The entire forecastle is submerged. The water approaches
the Bridge.
EXT. COLLAPSIBLE D - INCLUDE TITANIC
Dazed, Alex stares at the Titanic as they continue to row
away. It's like a strange, gripping hallucination: the
dying ship, her lights redder, dimmer... the sounds of
people shouting aboard her, the splashes of those jumping
overboard in hopes of swimming to the boats, the creaking of
the oars, the stunned silence of those in the boats, his own
labored breathing... and the band, playing on.
EXT. BOAT #4 - INCLUDE TITANIC
Several hundred yards away from Collapsible D, Suzanne, Ruth
and Madeleine sit quietly in #4. The faint music carrying
from the ship gives them something upon which to focus their
minds.
The Swedish steerage passenger and her daughter (who
traveled the corridors with the Goodwins) are sitting near
Madeleine. The woman holds her daughter, who is shivering
under her thin coat.
In a numb daze, Madeleine glances over at them. She takes
off the lace shawl Astor bought her and wraps it around the
child's shoulders.
EXT. BOAT #14 - INCLUDE TITANIC
They're only a 100 yards away from the Titanic. Their backs
to the ship, Lowe and Hart are rowing hard. In between
pulls, Hart looks over his shoulder. Squinting at the ship,
he sees something that makes him gasp and stop rowing.
LOWE
Hart -- keep at it!
Hart doesn't hear him. He climbs to the stern of the boat
and upturns the locker of supplies and equipment. He finds
what he's looking for -- a pair of binoculars.
HART'S POV - THROUGH BINOCULARS
He sees the Goodwin family wandering by themselves on the
Boat Deck.
HART (OS)
The Goodwins!! Oh, no, God;
they're still aboard!!
BACK TO SCENE
Hart turns to Lowe.
HART
We gotta go back!
LOWE
It's too late! When the ship
goes, she'll take everything down
around her!
HART
(frantic)
Please, sir, please...
LOWE
We haven't the room even if we
could go back! Get back to your
oar!
Hart doesn't move. He's begun to cry. Furious, Lowe grabs
Hart and drags him back to his seat.
LOWE
(continuing)
Row, before we're sucked down
along with her!
Sobbing bitterly, Hart begins to row -- away from the ship.
INT. FIRST CLASS SMOKING ROOM
Guggenheim, drink in hand, watches one of the card games
still in progress. The American Gambler looks at him.
AMERICAN GAMBLER
You're welcome to join us.
GUGGENHEIM
And get stuck with a bunch of
IOU's I can't collect on?
This gives the gentlemen at the table a chuckle.
GUGGENHEIM
lights a cigar, takes a seat below the painting over the
mantle and kicks off his shoes. He looks up at the scene of
the early days of sailing, and sips his brandy...
EXT. BOAT DECK, STARBOARD
We spot the Goodwins as they join with the helpless mob
rushing to higher ground, despite the futility of it.
Many Third Class Passengers appear as they just now pour up
on deck from below. It has finally become a free-for-all.
EXT. WHEELHOUSE ROOF
The water up here is now knee-deep. Murdoch, Lightoller and
Boxhall are joined by several other men. They are trying to
float Collapsible "A" off the dark roof.
One canvas side of the Collapsible will not lock up into
position, so it's taking on a lot of water.
A CROWD
of men, far in excess of the Collapsible's capacity, move
forward with the clear intention of commandeering it.
MURDOCH
takes his pistol out and pushes in front of them.
MURDOCH
I'll shoot the next man who
moves!
THE MEN
stand back momentarily, then the two leaders start moving
forward again.
MURDOCH
Damn you!
They keep coming, and lunge at him.
Murdoch fires twice -- once for each of the attackers.
They stagger back into the crowd, mortally wounded. The
others quickly disperse.
NEW ANGLE
Those on the Collapsible float it loose from its moorings.
Murdoch stands back. His duty is done.
MURDOCH
Gentlemen, every man for himself.
Good-bye.
BOXHALL
turns, horrified, realizing.
BOXHALL
Mr. Murdoch!!
MURDOCH
salutes, puts the pistol to his temple and fires.
EXT. BOAT DECK, PORT
The Orchestra finishes a lively ragtime number.
HARTLEY
Go on. I'd say that does us
proud.
None of them move. After a moment, Hartley starts playing a
tune on his violin. The band members look at one another --
good choice. Then, struggling to hold their footing on the
slanting deck, they join in, playing a lovely, slightly
melancholy English dance hall song, "Songe d'Automne."
EXT. OCEAN - LIFEBOATS
The beautiful, haunting melody carries across the still
water to the lifeboats.
EXT. BOAT DECK, STARBOARD
A dazed Captain Smith holds his brass megaphone at his side
and wanders aimlessly through a scene of utter confusion.
SUPERIMPOSE: 2:15 AM.
He walks downhill, against the tide of people rushing by.
The crowd climbs over one another on their way up the ever-
more inclined deck toward the stern, which now sits high in
the water.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
Some people jump for the davit falls so they can shimmy down
to the water. Others throw anything floatable into the
water and then leap in after it.
Joughin the baker polishes off another bottle of liquor. He
stumbles off the deck and falls into the water.
CAPTAIN SMITH
Be British, men. Be British...
INT. THIRD CLASS CORRIDORS
Here below, it is deserted. Suddenly, water pours into the
corridor from the bow.
INT. THIRD CLASS COMMON ROOM
OS we hear the sea pouring in. Father Byles and group of
emigrants fall to their knees.
PASSENGERS
Hail Mary, full of grace, the
Lord is with thee...
Others dash hysterically, hopelessly to the companionways
and ladders. The roar of the water becomes deafening.
EXT. BOAT DECK, STERN
Lightoller turns to see the mob clawing their way up the
inclined deck toward the stern. He looks around, realizing:
LIGHTOLLER
Where've all the women come from?
Also in the crowd are Bride and Phillips. They almost go in
opposite directions, then Bride grabs Phillips' arm, points
to a boat sitting in the ocean nearby, and leads Phillips in
jumping into the water.
As people scramble, slipping and sliding up the slanted
deck, they shout, curse and cry in a dozen languages. Their
terror is raw, palpable, gut-wrenching. Each crash from
below, or creak from the ship's strained structure or new
rush of water increases the hysteria.
Within the crowd, some small children separated from their
parents cry out for them. Etches tries to cross to one of
the children, but the crowd knocks him down and tramples him
underfoot.
CLOSE - CAPTAIN SMITH
calmly puts his megaphone down.
EXT. BRIDGE - WIDER
He's on the Bridge, in the very spot we first saw him. Gone
is the proud, confident bearing. He stands facing the
windows, shoulders slumped, hands behind his back, waiting.
EXT. TITANIC
The Titanic groans and pops as its bow is pulled further and
further under the surface. Then there is a deafening roar
as everything loose inside the ship crashes and breaks.
INT. SHIP'S STORES - CLOSE
Shelf after shelf full of supplies topples over.
EXT. BOAT #14 - INCLUDE TITANIC
The lights snap off and come on again with a searing flash,
then go out forever. We can no longer hear the band.
The ship is a dark outline in the starry sky. She continues
her slow descent, now with the sound of the wrenching and
tearings of boilers and engines from their beds.
The forward smokestack crashes to the sea. A cloud of soot
and millions of tiny sparks scatter into the sky.
EXT. TITANIC
Two dull, heavy explosions follow. As the second funnel
submerges, the forward motion of the ship ceases. With a
wrenching moan, the stern begins slowly rising into the air.
INT. BOILER ROOMS
Water swirls in, and the huge, loose boilers slam against
the forward bulkhead.
EXT. BOAT DECK, STERN
OS, we hear the water rising and the anguished, terrified
screams of those left aboard.
SUPERIMPOSE: 2:19 AM.
Fred and Augusta Goodwin and their six children are backed
against the aft railing, the only dry place left on the
ship. They cling desperately to one another.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
Charles silently, numbly holds William's hand. Harold and
Sidney clutch their parents, not comprehending. Jessie
shakes with terror; Lily looks to her parents, then at the
frightened mob around them, then at the people jumping over
the railing into the ocean far below.
Panic-stricken, Lily turns... she wants to jump, but she's
afraid to...
Fred and Augusta look at one another, each struggling to
find their own peace. Then, Fred looks for Lily. She's
being pushed away from the rest of the family by the violent
crowd.
Fred reaches for her, but he cannot let go of the other
kids. She's jostled farther and farther away from him. He
cries out, anguished:
FRED
(to Jessie)
Lily! Lily! My baby girl..!
LILY
Daddy... I love you...
Harold and Sidney are crying now, so Augusta presses them
close in to her, covering their eyes with her hands.
AUGUSTA
Hush, baby, hush, Momma's here.
CLOSE
A lantern left forgotten on the deck is knocked over and
extinguished by the sudden rush of water.
EXT. COLLAPSIBLE C - INCLUDE TITANIC
Ashen-faced, Ismay turns his back on the scene. He closes
his eyes, unable to watch his ship die.
The bow plunges and the stern is lifted hundreds of feet out
of the water. Then, with the bow well under water, the
remaining hull slips downward with a heavy gurgling.
As they approach the water, the other smokestacks break off,
sending clouds of soot and steam into the air. They crash
in different directions.
EXT. COLLAPSIBLE D - INCLUDE TITANIC
Alex watches with horror and disbelief. Everything he's
ever believed about the perfection of man's creations is
dying before his eyes.
With a thunderous, high-pitched wrenching of metal, the
Titanic shears along the third and fourth funnels and breaks
in two.
The bow piece tips straight up and plunges quickly below the
surface. The stern momentarily settles back.
Within seconds the stern section begins to sink, the broken
end going under and the aft end rising higher and higher
until it is almost perpendicular to the water, picking up
speed as it plunges.
INT. STATEROOM
The room is tipped on end. Furniture has slid against the
wall. Then, the wall explodes as water rushes in.
EXT. COLLAPSIBLE C - INCLUDE TITANIC
From where we are, the people atop the aft end look like
bees as they cling to anything they can. Others fall
hundreds of feet into the water.
The Italian Boy from Third Class pulls away from his mother
and cries out toward the ship:
ITALIAN BOY
Papa! Papa!
EXT. BOAT #4 - INCLUDE TITANIC
Tears run down Suzanne's face. She has never felt such a
crushing sadness, or such anger, or helplessness.
Ruth's face is a death mask as she stares, numb and
transfixed, at the great ship in its final death throes.
Madeleine sits ramrod straight on her bench, fearful she
would never be able to control the flood of emotions if she
let them loose.
The other women hold onto each other, unable to bear to
watch, but unable to turn away.
Moving faster and faster, the last of the mighty ship slides
beneath the surface.
Time stops -- there is a long, stunned silence.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
Agonized, Suzanne turns to Ruth. Ruth looks at her, numb
and disbelieving.
SUZANNE
(sotto)
She's gone.
SLOWLY FADE OUT
END OF ACT TWELVE
ACT THIRTEEN
FADE IN:
EXT. COLLAPSIBLE D - NIGHT
For a moment, no one breathes. We move across the stunned
faces of the fortunate few in the lifeboats. They cannot
process the unthinkable event they have just witnessed.
SUPERIMPOSE: 2:25 AM.
Then, a British Woman turns to her Maid:
BRITISH WOMAN
There's your beautiful nightdress
gone.
Stewardess Sloan whispers to herself:
SLOAN
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray
for us sinners...
Holding Sloan's handkerchief to his bloody head, Alex
painfully sits up and stares with stunned disbelief.
ALEX
It can't be...
EXT. DARK OCEAN
The ocean, smooth as glass, has simply closed up over the
Titanic. A thin, smoky vapor hovers over the scene.
On the surface, knots of debris bob up from below: crates,
deck chairs, planking, etc.
Then, a sound rises up in the darkness that slams us back to
reality: a spine-chilling chorus of cries, screams and
shouts of fifteen hundred terrified, agonized people
flailing in the below-freezing water.
In sheer intensity, it is like a ballpark full of people
roaring at a home run.
EXT. BOAT #14
People in the boats feel they will be driven insane by the
soul-searing horror of it. They cover their ears and cry
out themselves, trying to shut it out.
Lowe and Hart are rowing. Lowe pulls harder on his oars,
and to distract himself he starts singing:
LOWE
'Throw out the life-line, throw
out the life-line, someone is
drifting away...'
EXT. BOAT #4
Ruth gathers her coat around her face, discreetly covering
her ears.
Suzanne tries to keep a precarious control of herself. She
looks at Madeleine, seeing near madness in her eyes.
SUZANNE
It will help to stay warm by
rowing.
After a moment, Madeleine helps her pick up the heavy oar
and slip it in the oarlock.
Suzanne turns to the two Crewmen in charge of the boat.
SUZANNE
(continuing)
We still have room...
CREWMAN
There's too many! Drownin'
people would capsize us right
off.
SUZANNE
(angry)
You'll do nothing?
Apparently so. He and the other Crewman keep rowing the
other way. Suzanne looks at the others in the boat, wanting
someone to second her motion.
SUZANNE
(continuing)
Mother?
Ruth says nothing, nor will she meet her daughter's glance.
SUZANNE
(continuing)
Madeleine?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
MADELEINE
(she's lost it)
Jack said he would see me in the
morning...
Frustrated, Suzanne angrily pushes her oar away.
EXT. COLLAPSIBLE B
Treading water, Lightoller clings to the overturned Collapsible.
The hull is crowded with men, mostly stokers, standing, sitting
or kneeling on it, afraid to move for fear of losing their grip.
Some shiver in sleeveless shirts and shorts.
Lightoller, Bride and several others manage to climb aboard.
BRIDE
Jack Phillips! Anyone seen
Phillips?
No answer. Finally, fearing the boat will be swamped, those
already aboard use a loose board to paddle away from the
remaining swimmers.
A Fireman tries to climb on, but a man hits him over the
head with a board to keep him away.
MAN WITH BOARD
Stay back, no more room!
He starts shoving at everyone who tries to get aboard. This
starts an angry melee. Bride hangs on with one hand and
covers his head with the other.
LIGHTOLLER
Stop! You'll founder us! Stop
at once!
The sound of authority gets through to them.
STOKER
Let's listen to the Officer.
LIGHTOLLER
Keep your heads! Spread out,
even the load!
The men atop the hull calm down, and the swimmers move off.
All except one -- Joughin the baker. Bobbing numbly in the
water, he hangs onto the edge of the Collapsible, and no one
seems to notice him.
INT. CARPATHIA BRIDGE - NIGHT
As the ship continues its suicidal dash through the iceberg-
strewn water, Captain Rostron peers ahead through binoculars.
Dean stands alongside him.
SUPERIMPOSE: 2:45 AM.
DEAN
Sir, how do you think it happened
to 'em?
CAPTAIN ROSTRON
I couldn't venture a guess. E. J.
Smith is the finest Master in these
waters... not that a Captain ever
presumes mastery of the sea.
LOOKOUT (OS)
Ice ahead!
CAPTAIN ROSTRON
Take us around, at my direction...
Dean gives Captain Rostron an uneasy look. Rostron returns
the look -- he's scared, too.
EXT. BOAT #14 - LATER THAT NIGHT
The horrific cries of the dying have grown weaker, but
continue to carry across the water.
Lowe and Hart move #14 toward some lantern lights close by.
LOWE
Ahoy! We're tying up together.
Any men aboard?
EXT. COLLAPSIBLE D
Alex, his bloody head now wrapped with a torn handkerchief.
is lying in Collapsible D next to Sloan. He sits up when he
hears Lowe.
ALEX
Over here!
EXT. BOAT #4
Suzanne bolts to her feet.
SUZANNE
Alex? My God, Alex!!
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
ALEX (OS)
Suzanne!
SUZANNE
I'm here!
INCLUDE BOATS 4, 14 & D
As the three boats move together, Suzanne is already
climbing over the other passengers to get to Alex.
RUTH
Suzanne, be careful!
Alex tries to stand, but he's still dizzy from his fall.
Hart is holding the two boats together. As Suzanne crosses
into Collapsible D, Lowe loses his grip on the slippery
hull. The boats spread apart.
WOOLNER
Mind she doesn't fall in!
Suzanne stumbles into the space between them. Woolner and
Hart stop Suzanne from falling into the water.
NEW ANGLE
Suzanne climbs over to Alex. She hugs him, desperately, not
believing he's really here. Then she notices his bandaged
head.
SUZANNE
You're hurt!
ALEX
I'm all right.
SUZANNE
(sotto)
Heaven forgive me for being so
happy right now.
Ruth watches them from now-adjacent Boat #4, but says
nothing.
Madeleine looks at Alex and realizes he looks familiar.
MADELEINE
Where's Jack?
ALEX
Don't know. I'm sorry.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
Miserable, Madeleine turns away from him.
Lowe steps into Collapsible D.
LOWE
Listen up: everyone in my boat,
out. Move to one of the others.
He notices what appears to be a woman with a blanket wrapped
around her trying to slink down out of sight.
He pulls the blanket back and sees it's actually a male
steerage passenger.
LOWE
(continuing)
Bloody coward!
Furious, Lowe almost throws him overboard, but instead
throws him as hard as he can into the bottom of the boat.
Alex grabs Lowe as he goes by. Anticipating the question:
LOWE
(continuing; sotto)
Soon as it quiets down I'll go
back for survivors.
ALEX
I'm going with you.
SUZANNE
You're in no condition...
(to Lowe)
Let me go.
LOWE
Forget it, both of you.
(to Suzanne; re Alex)
You want to be useful, make him
lie down and shut up.
Suzanne nods. Alex submits, but under duress.
EXT. BOAT #6
Here, farther from those in the water, we can hear an
occasional voice in the distance as women on other boats
call out, looking for their husbands.
A woman cranks a musical toy pig to amuse two children.
Suddenly, a foreign woman starts yelling incoherently.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
MOLLY
Honey, listen, it's gonna be
okay.
(re Californian)
See? There's a steamer ahead.
They'll come for us.
HITCHENS
They didn't spot the bloody
rockets, you think they'll see
small boats, low in the water?
Molly has had it with Hitchens. She turns to Fleet:
MOLLY
Help me with these oars. We'll
row, won't we ladies?
There are some murmurs of agreement.
HITCHENS
I'll have none of it! Sit back
down. I'm in charge here!
MOLLY
(to other women)
C'mon, two to an oar. I'm not
gonna die in a rotten little boat!
She and Fleet start putting oars in the oarlocks.
HITCHENS
(stands)
Blasted female!
MOLLY
(also stands)
Any closer and I'll throw you
overboard.
Hitchens gets the message: she means it, and she's capable
of carrying it out. He sits back down next to the tiller.
MOLLY
(continuing; to ladies)
Now, come on, on the beat...
(starts rowing)
One, two...one, two...
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2)
After a few awkward splashes, the women get into the rhythm
of rowing. Even the hysteric calms down and pitches in.
Quartermaster Hitchens sits and sulks. He has just been
relieved of command.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. BOAT #14 - AREA OF SINKING - LATER THAT NIGHT
Except for a slight breeze that has picked up, it is quiet.
The cold Atlantic has silenced the suffering voices.
SUPERIMPOSE: 3:10 AM.
Lowe, Hart and two Crewmen row slowly through the area of
the sinking. We can tell by the repeated thuds of bodies
against the hull and the horrorstruck look on the men's
faces that they are too late.
They strain their ears for any sound of life. A nearby
groan gets their attention.
LOWE
That way...
Lowe raises their one weak lantern higher. Hart and the
Crewman move the boat toward the sound.
Lowe leans over the edge of the boat. A wave of revulsion
hits him.
HART'S AND LOWE'S POV
The water is choked with bodies. They float, shoulder to
shoulder, suspended by their ghostly white life preservers.
Then, one moves. It's a Japanese man, who'd lashed himself
to a small wooden table.
HART
holds the man against the hull while Lowe cuts him loose.
LOWE
Come on up, Mate. We got you.
Hart glances at the Crewmen. They are so mortified that
they stare down at their oars, unable to watch.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. COLLAPSIBLE B - LATER THAT NIGHT
The ocean is getting increasingly choppy, battering the
precariously-balanced hull.
A stoker, dressed only in T-shirt and shorts, is too cold
and exhausted to hold on any longer. He rolls off the boat
hull into the water and disappears.
The moisture on Lightoller and the other men has frozen --
their hair, clothes, even their faces are white with frost.
LIGHTOLLER
Everyone, carefully, try to even
the load. As a swell approaches,
lean your weight to counter it.
The men shift cautiously around.
FIREMAN
Sir, another's died over here.
Can't we push him off to make
room?
LIGHTOLLER
Can you see who it is?
There is a long beat.
FIREMAN
The bloke from the wireless, sir.
Phillips, is it?
BRIDE
lowers his head and clenches his fists, but he's too numb to
be angry or to cry.
LIGHTOLLER (OS)
(softly)
Cover him with something... and
see if you can't keep him here
with us.
BRIDE
(to himself)
Well, Jack, hope you see a bit
more of the next world.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. BOATS #14, 4, & D - LATER THAT NIGHT
The breeze has turned into a stiff swell. Lowe and Hart, in
Boat #14, return with a handful of half-dead survivors lying
in its hull.
LOWE
(sotto; to Hart)
Let's get everyone moving. These
swells'll scatter the bodies.
Alex is in Boat #4, lying with his head in Suzanne's lap.
Ruth sits next to them. Alex grimaces and sits up as Lowe
ties #14 up to the other boats.
Alex glances over at Hart, seeing the anguish and
disappointment on his face.
HART
(sotto)
We only found six still alive.
Stunned, Alex looks at Suzanne.
ALEX
(sotto)
They shouldn't have waited so
long.
WIDER
As the group of boats begin to row through the choppy sea
toward the lights of the Californian, something thumps
against Boat #4's hull.
Madeleine looks over the edge and screams.
MADELEINE'S POV
It's a body.
RUTH
puts her arm around Madeleine to comfort her.
RUTH
Be strong. For the sake of your
baby.
Madeleine nods, but she has a faraway, uncomprehending look
in her eyes.
LOWE
Quiet, I hear something.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
Everyone is silent and indeed a sound is heard -- a child's
cries. Lowe raises the lantern, casting a weak glow onto
the ocean. Suzanne stands up; she and Alex peer into the
darkness.
ALEX
There!
ANGLE ON SURFACE OF WATER
They spot someone perched precariously out of the water on
the top of a half-submerged chair. It's the curious
Scandinavian Blond Girl, separated from her parents for the
final time. She's 30 feet from them, drifting away. She's
not wearing a life preserver.
LOWE (OS)
Don't move! We're coming for you!
The Girl turns weakly toward them and tries to wave. Just
as she loses her grip on the chair and falls into the water,
she moves from range of the lantern light, and out of view.
LOWE
struggles to untie #14 so he can row over, but the ropes are
tangled from the boats shifting around.
SUZANNE
grabs a life preserver and dives into the water; she's over
the side before Alex or Ruth can stop her.
RUTH
Suzanne!
WIDER
Terrified, Ruth scrambles over to the edge of the boat.
Alex tries to leap into the water after Suzanne, but Hart
holds him back.
HART
Don't -- we'll get her.
Lowe gets #14 loose and hangs the lantern outside its hull.
Suzanne disappears beyond the reach of the lantern light.
Boat #14 rows through the swells while Lowe leans over the
bow with a boat hook poised as a snare.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
Lowe spots someone, presumably Suzanne, floating head down
in the life preserver. He gets close enough to snare the
life preserver.
It's the Girl. She coughs up some water and starts crying.
Some of the women aboard wrap her in a blanket.
ALEX
Suzanne!!
LOWE
There she is...
Suzanne is paddling through the choppy, freezing water
toward the lifeboat.
Lowe reaches out with the boat hook and pulls Suzanne next
to the boat. Alex yanks away from Hart, and he and Ruth
help Lowe drag Suzanne aboard.
Suzanne is shivering uncontrollably. Alex takes off his
jacket and covers her with it.
SUZANNE
Just hold me; I'm fine...
Ruth and Alex are not so convinced.
FADE OUT
END OF ACT THIRTEEN
ACT FOURTEEN
FADE IN:
EXT. BOATS #14, 4 & D - NIGHT
The choppy water buffets the small boats, and the wind
drives icy spray into everyone's faces. It's agony for all
aboard, especially Suzanne. Her wet hair has frozen stiff,
as have her skirts. Shivering, she clings to Alex. She's
starting to drift off to sleep.
LOWE
Keep her out of the wind. Don't
let her pass out.
Ruth shifts her body in a futile attempt to block the wind,
and frantically rubs her daughter's hands and arms.
RUTH
Suzanne! You have to stay
awake...
SUZANNE
(looks up at Alex)
Makes winter in Oxford feel like
the south of France...
ALEX
(smiles)
Impossible.
SUZANNE
Go for a swim, then talk to me.
Ruth and Alex look at each other, encouraged. Ruth redoubles
her efforts at getting Suzanne's circulation going.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. BOAT #6 - LATER THAT NIGHT
People row in glum silence, mostly to avoid becoming sick
from the choppy seas. Even Molly is quiet. Hitchens sits
at the tiller, steering.
SUPERIMPOSE: 3:40 AM.
Suddenly, Molly sits upright.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
MOLLY
A light!
HITCHENS
Pipe down. It's nothing but a
shooting star.
MOLLY
Bull-pucky. It's a flare! Look!
Another one!
She's right. Everyone on board starts shouting and
cheering. Hitchens just sits near the tiller, mute.
EXT. COLLAPSIBLE B
The half-dead men barely respond to the sound of the others
shouting in the distance. Then Lightoller looks up. He
sees the flares, and starts blowing his officer's whistle.
EXT. BOATS #14, 4 & D
Lowe and the others have also seen the flares. But they're
not cheering.
RUTH
They don't see us!
LOWE
Make them see us! Wave that
lantern. Find a blanket, wrap it
around an oar, light it ablaze!
Start shouting!
They yell and wave their arms.
INT. CARPATHIA BRIDGE - NIGHT
Captain Rostron intently scans the ocean through binoculars.
DEAN
Coming up on the coordinates,
Captain.
CAPTAIN ROSTRON
Half speed, Mr. Dean.
The Mate rings the engine telegraph.
CAPTAIN ROSTRON
(continuing; peering
through binoculars)
Nothing!
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
He shoots a worried look at Dean.
CAPTAIN ROSTRON
(continuing)
We might have to adjust for
drift. Take us back, south-
southwest...
His voice trails off as he sees something through the
window.
ROSTRON'S POV
Low in the water, a faint light glows for a moment, then
disappears.
BACK TO SCENE
Captain Rostron allows himself a brief smile.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. OCEAN - DAWN
The Carpathia sits in a huge field of ice that is littered
with icebergs.
SUPERIMPOSE: 4:10 AM.
INT. CARPATHIA BRIDGE
Blanket over his shoulders, Lowe is escorted to the Bridge.
He's shivering, but trying to maintain his composure.
CAPTAIN ROSTRON
This is the RMS Carpathia. I'm
Captain Arthur Rostron.
LOWE
Fifth Officer, Lowe, sir. My
ship... she foundered... about 2:40
this AM. We struck an iceberg at
11:40, and --
CAPTAIN ROSTRON
-- How many people were left
aboard?
LOWE
Hundreds and hundreds! Perhaps a
thousand! Perhaps more!
(breaks down)
They've all gone down with her!
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
CAPTAIN ROSTRON
(softy)
Go below, lad, get yourself warm.
Rostron looks at Dean, who gently takes Lowe's arm.
Embarrassed by his emotional outburst, Lowe composes
himself, stands at attention and salutes sharply.
EXT. CARPATHIA DECK - DAWN
It is an assembly-line orderly affair. The survivors are
too weak or numb to speak as they are helped aboard.
Rostron's crew splits them up according to their passage
class: First and Second are taken to the forward area,
steerage are moved aft; then they are lined up to see a
doctor or nurse according to their condition.
A crewman pulls the crying Navratil boys out of the canvas
sling used to raise them from their lifeboat. Dean looks
over at the commotion; the crewman doesn't know what to do
with them.
DEAN
Where are those babies' parents?
CREWMAN
That's the thing, sir --
(sotto)
People on the lifeboat say their
father stayed on the ship, an'
their mother wasn't with 'em.
DEAN
(sighs)
Give them here; I'll bring them
below.
ISMAY
is in a state of shock as he's brought aboard next.
ISMAY
I'm Ismay... I'm Ismay....
He pulls away from the Crewmen and stands with his back
against a bulkhead. Captain Rostron crosses to him.
ISMAY
(continuing)
I'm Ismay...
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
CAPTAIN ROSTRON
Yes, sir. The men will take you
below; you can get some soup, or
something to drink.
ISMAY
I do not want anything.
CAPTAIN ROSTRON
Please --
ISMAY
(loudly)
-- I would be much happier if you
just left me alone!
(beat; softly)
If you will get me in some room
where I can be quiet, I wish you
would.
CAPTAIN ROSTRON
(to Crewman)
Put Mr. Ismay in my quarters.
As they lead him away he stares ahead with empty eyes.
NEW ANGLE
Ruth hovers nervously as Alex helps a Crewman hoist Suzanne
up in a canvas sling.
ALEX
Suzanne -- we're on a ship.
We're goin' home.
Suzanne, nearly unconscious, smiles weakly at him.
Ruth spots Dr. McGhee trying to revive a dying passenger.
RUTH
Please... my daughter, she's so
cold...
Dr. McGhee glances over at Suzanne.
DR. MCGHEE
Remove her wet clothing, get some
brandy into her.
RUTH
But Doctor --
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
DR. MCGHEE
-- There are dozens a hair's
breadth from dying. Do as I say;
we'll see to her, soon as we can.
Dr. McGhee turns back to the man lying near Suzanne. He
shakes his head and the Steward assisting him covers the
man's face with a blanket.
Alex undoes Suzanne from the sling. A Yeoman with a
clipboard approaches Alex.
CARPATHIA YEOMAN
Your name?
ALEX
O'Connor.
CARPATHIA YEOMAN
Steerage?
ALEX
(after a beat)
Yes.
CARPATHIA YEOMAN
You'll have to join the others
over there. A doctor will see to
your injuries.
ALEX
Never mind that...
(picks Suzanne
up in his arms)
We need a warm bed for her.
CARPATHIA YEOMAN
(impatiently)
Steerage passengers go aft.
RUTH
The gentleman is with me. If
that's a problem, I'll speak to
your Captain.
CARPATHIA YEOMAN
(sighs; to Alex)
Bring her below... this way.
Alex looks at Ruth, and they follow the Yeoman.
INT. CALIFORNIAN WIRELESS SHACK - DAWN
Evans awaken to find Stone standing over him.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
EVANS
What time is it?
STONE
Twenty past five. See if there's
anything on the air about a ship
shootin' rockets off.
Evans bolts out of bed. He quickly winds the mechanical
detector. As he does, his headphones come to life. In
moments he learns what happened while he slept.
EXT. CALIFORNIAN BRIDGE
Evans, in shock, runs onto the Bridge. Stone follows a
moment later. Without comment, Evans hands Captain Lord a
yellow Marconi message paper. Lord reads it, crushes the
paper in his fist and clenches his jaw.
CAPTAIN LORD
Thank you.
He turns his back and looks out over the ocean.
CAPTAIN LORD
(continuing)
Get their coordinates, Mr. Stone.
Perhaps we can be of some
assistance.
INT. CARPATHIA STEERAGE - DAY
Mattresses and blankets have been spread out on the floor to
form a makeshift infirmary. There are many serious cases of
exposure, frostbite, etc. Several of those who have just
died have been covered over, but not yet been moved away.
A couple of NURSES try to bandage a mumbling Joughin the
baker. He's frostbitten, still drunk, half-conscious, but
amazingly, quite alive.
NURSE #1
A bleedin' miracle -- with others
from the lifeboats dyin' left and
right...
NURSE #2
(sniffs him;
makes a face)
Three guesses what kept 'im from
freezin' up.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
NURSE #1
His fat didn't hurt him none,
neither.
Ruth hurries through the infirmary to the Nurses.
RUTH
I'm told the Doctor's down here...
NURSE #1
Doctor McGhee's still up on deck.
RUTH
I need someone to see my daughter.
She won't wake up... Please!
Nurse #1 looks at the other one, then leads Ruth back toward
the top decks.
NEW ANGLE
Steward John Hart wanders through, looking from face to face
at the survivors. Then, exhausted, he sits on a blanket.
A Chaplain approaches. Hart stares at the floor.
HART
They were the same age as my own
lads...
(beat)
Now they're gone. Whole family's
gone.
CHAPLAIN
Have you prayed for their souls?
Tears running down his face, Hart looks up at him.
HART
I learned something last night:
there's no one listenin'.
EXT. CARPATHIA DECK
As the ship slowly circles, looking for any further
survivors, Madeleine and Mme. Aubert are among a group of
women clinging to the rail, searching for possible signs of
life. Most are silent, still in shock; some weep quietly.
Dean crosses to Captain Rostron, who stands nearby.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
CAPTAIN ROSTRON
(sotto; to Dean)
We won't find anyone still alive
out there. Plot a course for New
York.
(looks at women)
Have the crew bring them below.
As soon as we depart, they're
going to realize they're widows.
MADELEINE
sees Crewmen start to take the other women inside. The
realization it's over is too much for her. She breaks down
and wails with grief. A Crewman gently leads her away.
MADAME AUBERT
holds to her face the carnation she'd taken from Guggenheim's
lapel. After a beat, she tosses it into the ocean.
INT. CARPATHIA STATEROOM - DAY
Suzanne lies unconscious in bed, wrapped in blankets. Her
breathing is shallow and slow. Frightened, trying not to
panic, Alex sits next to her, stroking her face. His head
is still bandaged with Sloan's torn handkerchief.
ALEX
...You'll be sorry you slept
through this sunrise. Must be a
million icebergs on the ocean,
glowing like opals. Just think
how it would be, flying above
'em...
Suzanne's breathing quietly stops. Alex just stares at her
for a moment.
ALEX
(continuing)
Suzanne? Suzanne?
His voice catches in his throat as he realizes she's gone.
ALEX
(continuing)
Oh, no...
Anguished, he leans his head onto the bed and begins to cry.
He doesn't notice the door opening behind him.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
Ruth comes in, followed by Dr. McGhee. Alex looks up at
her. Ruth glances at Alex, then at Suzanne. A part of her
understands immediately what's happened, but she is
unwilling and unable to accept it.
Dr. McGhee crosses to Suzanne and begins to cover her face
with the sheet. Ruth grabs his arm and pulls him away.
RUTH
(continuing)
Don't you dare do that! Leave
her alone!
She falls to her knees next to the bed.
RUTH
(continuing)
Suzanne! Stop it now! Suzanne?
Do you hear me? This doesn't
happen to people like us! Do you
hear?
(beat)
Oh, please, God, please... don't
take her from me!
Ruth looks up at Alex, her face contorted with agony, and
cries in great, heart-wrenching sobs.
Alex puts his arm around her shoulder and she wraps hers
around him as she weeps.
Alex looks down at Suzanne, lying peacefully on the bed, and
squeezes his eyes shut. He and Ruth clinging desperately to
each other, and Dr. McGhee leaves, quietly closing the
stateroom door behind him...
EXT. OCEAN - DAY
The Carpathia steams through a seemingly-endless ice field.
Scattered within the field are hundreds of icebergs --
bright, beautiful, benign.
Moving closer to a large, twin-peaked berg, glowing in the
sunlight, we NOTICE something familiar smeared along its
base: red and black paint from the hull of the Titanic.
FADE TO:
MONTAGE: IMAGES OF THE AFTERMATH
Among the images seen via ACTUAL STILLS:
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
— A weary newsboy on a street corner holds an armload of
papers and a banner: TITANIC DISASTER — GREAT LOSS OF LIFE.
— People desperate for information storm the White Star
Offices on Lower Broadway in New York.
— The Carpathia arrives in New York at night during a huge
thunderstorm, with lightning and photographer's flash pans
eerily illuminating the scene.
— The front page of the New York Times and its headlines
about the disaster.
— A picture of the Navratil boys in a newspaper, identified
as "The Titanic Orphans."
— A Senate hearing room, packed to capacity as Ismay, Lowe,
Lightoller and other survivors testify in an Inquiry. On
one wall is a huge model of the ship to aid the testimony.
— Several gentle, curving rows of identical headstones
marking the graves of the Titanic dead in Fairview Cemetery,
Halifax, Nova Scotia.
— Floating debris such as deck chairs, luggage, and carved
sections of wood paneling scattered among the waves.
During the above:
NARRATOR (VO)
Of the 2,228 people aboard the
Titanic, only 705 were rescued.
Fifteen Hundred and twenty-three
perished.
Scores of her crewmen had come from
one neighborhood in Southampton.
Their loss created a community,
suddenly without fathers, that
stretched for miles.
Bruce Ismay was universally condemned
for boarding a lifeboat. He remained
in seclusion until his death in 1937.
Captain Arthur Rostron of the
Carpathia was awarded a medal by
Congress, and Knighted in England.
Captain Stanley Lord was relieved of
command of the Californian, although
even today there is controversy over
-more-
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2)
NARRATOR (VO) (Cont'd)
his ship's actual distance from the
Titanic.
The Navratil boys were known as
"The Titanic Orphans" until their
mother, from whom their estranged
father had kidnapped them, saw
their picture in a French
newspaper.
Wallace Hartley and his Orchestra
all went down with the Titanic.
Their booking agent sent letters to
their families, demanding
reimbursement for the seven lost
uniforms.
The wreckage of the Titanic was
located in 1985, two and a half
miles below the surface of the
Atlantic. Every April 15th the
Coast Guard drops a wreath over the
position of her grave.
We slowly DISSOLVE to the serenity of:
THE OCEAN FLOOR
CLOSING CREDITS run over the haunting ACTUAL FOOTAGE of the
remains of the Titanic, while Hartley's Orchestra plays
"Songe d'Automne."
FADE OUT
THE END